Kansas City is opening another new door for local creatives, this time through a public art project tied to the Tony Aguirre Community Center on the city’s Westside.
The city’s One Percent for Art Program is seeking a professional artist or artist team to design a mural for a curved retaining wall at the new outdoor pool, turning a community recreation space into the setting for another permanent piece of public art.
Applications are due by Monday, May 11, 2026, and the city says the total project budget is $9,400.
Before that deadline, artists can also join one of two virtual Q&A sessions with Public Art Administrator James Martin, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on April 21 and 5:30 p.m. on April 22. Questions about the project must be submitted by 5 p.m. on April 20.
The opportunity is open to professional visual artists or artist teams age 18 or older based in the Kansas City Combined Statistical Area, which includes counties on both the Missouri and Kansas sides of the metro.
The city says two to five semifinalists will be selected to move into the proposal phase, where design concepts will be reviewed before a final choice is made.
What gives the project more weight than a standard call for entries is the place it is tied to.
Read More: Kansas City Fashion Week Opens Designer Applications for F/W 2026 at Union StationThe city says the mural is meant to complement the public art already at the community center, which is named in honor of Tony Aguirre, remembered for his long service as a volunteer, mentor, coach and neighborhood figure in the Westside community.
The center already features six mosaic artworks by Concetta Morales showing scenes from Aguirre’s life and service, including his time with the Guadalupe Center.
That background gives the mural project a stronger community connection than a typical public art installation.
This is not just about decorating a wall near a pool. It is about adding to a space that already carries neighborhood history and local meaning, while giving another artist the chance to leave a visible mark on one of Kansas City’s community-centered sites.
The project also fits into Kansas City’s broader One Percent for Art program, which was created to commission public art as part of city construction and improvement work.
The city says the program has been in place since 1986 and continues to shape how public spaces across Kansas City look and feel as new buildings, streets and facilities take shape.
For artists across the metro, the call offers a relatively small budget but a very public canvas. For Kansas City residents, it is another sign that the city is still investing in neighborhood spaces in ways that go beyond bricks, concrete and basic construction.
With the application deadline now set for May 11, the next few weeks will decide who gets to create the next permanent piece connected to the Tony Aguirre Community Center.
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