City Seeks Local Artists to Beautify 30+ Traffic Control Boxes Along Route 66

City Seeks Local Artists to Beautify 30+ Traffic Control Boxes Along Route 66

6/4/2026

Professional, Amateur Artist Submissions Welcome; Student Submissions Also Welcome

As part of this year's Route 66 Centennial celebrations, the City of Tulsa has released a call for artists to create digital artwork that will be installed on traffic control boxes located on Tulsa's 28-mile Route 66 corridor.

As part of the project, 34 traffic control boxes will be wrapped in artwork by local artists. A recently issued request for proposals invites local artists to submit up to four original designs. Depending on the number of submissions and selections, between eight and 34 local artists will end up participating in the project - all of whom will receive $500 per design if selected.

The digital artwork will serve as an artistic photo-op, beautify Tulsa's Route 66 corridor, enhance wayfinding, and curb graffiti on the boxes.

And most importantly, Tulsa leaders emphasize that this centennial project is intended to celebrate local artists.

"This project provides an opportunity for us to showcase incredible local talent," said Tulsa City Councilor Christian Bengel, Chair of the Tulsa Route 66 Commission. "We are prioritizing local artists in the selection process. Who better to showcase the Mother Road than the diverse range of artists here in Tulsa and Oklahoma?"

The City of Tulsa is accepting submissions through July 1 from professional or emerging artists, or teams of artists. The digital artwork must be original and serve as a 360-degree "photo-op" art piece wrapping a City of Tulsa traffic control box.

Emerging artists, particularly school-aged artists, are encouraged to submit a design. Submissions will be capped at 160 total.

"Public art has the power to shape how we understand place, identity, belonging, and the many histories that make up our shared landscape," said Ashanti Chaplin, the City's Director of Public Art & Community Partnerships. "Opportunities like this allow artists and students to explore the diverse stories, communities, and cultural perspectives connected to the Mother Road. Route 66 holds many histories, and meaningful public art can create space for deeper engagement with the people, places, and experiences that continue to shape its legacy."

While Route 66 iconography, fonts, and artistic elements are encouraged; the artwork is not limited to classic or vintage-inspired Route 66 designs. Artists should feel invited to be creative and submit artwork that is also interpretive, modern, or abstract. Similarly, artwork can contribute to Route 66 storytelling, but storytelling is not a requirement.

All art-wrapped traffic control boxes will be unified by a "Capital of Route 66" graphic and QR code linking to a Route 66 Art StoryMaps with more information about the artworks and artists. The Route 66 Art StoryMaps will serve as a digital self-guided tour of all the art along Tulsa's Route 66 corridor, including murals, sculptures, roadside attractions, and the thirty-four wrapped traffic control boxes when complete.

This project is spearheaded by the City's Office of Public Art and Community Partnerships, Planning & Neighborhoods Department, and Public Works Department in collaboration with the Tulsa Route 66 Commission and the Tulsa Arts Commission.

Funding is made possible by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding allocated to Route 66 beautification efforts. The other ARPA funding allocated to Route 66 beautification was used to plant more than 100 street trees corridor-wide and to increase street sweeping along Route 66 during 2026.

Artists are invited to apply online.

Questions about the RFP process can be directed to the City of Tulsa's Project Buyer, Donny Tiemann at [email protected].

More information about the City's efforts along Route 66 over the years can be found online at: www.cityoftulsa.org/Route66

Additional about Tulsa's Destination Districts or Route 66 efforts can be directed to Sam Extance, [email protected].