The UCA?s Alumni Circle Public Art Selection Panel this month started the process of choosing the artist for the Centennial project. Dr. Gayle Seymour, chair of the UCA Public Art Committee and interim dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication, said the selection panel met for the first time April 10 to discuss the 150 submissions from 32 states, many of whom are nationally known artists in contemporary American sculpture, and narrowed the submissions to 17.
?The committee is now in the process of calling references,? Seymour said ?The goal is to meet again on April 23 and determine the five finalists by the end of the month.? After the finalists are chosen, the next phase, Seymour said, would be to give each of the five a stipend and six months to develop and present a specific design proposal. The plan is to have all five come to UCA to present their designs to the university, after which the winner will be chosen.