Gwinnett's arts scene is about to get a new landmark — and the county wants a local artist to design it. Create Gwinnett, the county's nonprofit arts-connector organization, is now accepting qualifications from artists for the Nicole Love Hendrickson Artway, a new public art and placemaking installation at Gas South District.
The project, announced Oct. 19 by Gwinnett County, will transform the stairway and surrounding area that connects the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce to Gas South Arena into what organizers describe as "a visual celebration of business, art and entertainment." It's a partnership between Create Gwinnett, Gas South District, the Sugarloaf Community Improvement District and The Hudgens Center for Art & Learning. The installation was first announced at the Sugarloaf CID's 10th Anniversary celebration and will carry the name of Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson, recognizing her support of the local arts community.
"Public art breathes life into our public spaces and has the power to connect us all," Chairwoman Hendrickson said in the county's announcement. "To have this installation named in my honor is humbling and truly special, especially given my personal love for creating art. I invite artists to dream big and share their unique talents."
Who Can Apply, and for What
Create Gwinnett's request for qualifications is open to artists working in murals, sculptural elements, creative seating, interactive installations, environmental art, gateway features, lighting and other "placemaking" media. Artists who live, work, maintain a studio or have demonstrated ties to Gwinnett County are strongly encouraged to apply, but the opportunity is open to any artist able to attend the required site visits and project activities, regardless of location.
This first round asks only for artists' qualifications — not project concepts. From the applicant pool, three finalists will be selected to move into a concept-development phase; each of those finalists receives a $1,500 stipend to develop a site-specific design and present it. One artist will then be chosen for final design and installation, with an anticipated project budget of $20,000 to $40,000 depending on the scale and complexity of the winning concept. Installation is expected to begin in April 2027.
Key Dates
The request for qualifications opened Sept. 30, 2026. Questions are due to Create Gwinnett by Nov. 13, and completed submissions — a single PDF emailed to [email protected] — are due Nov. 17, 2026, at noon. Finalists are expected to be announced Jan. 8, 2027, with design concepts due Feb. 9 and a final design selected by March 9, 2027.
Artists interested in applying can find the full request for qualifications, eligibility details and submission instructions at CreateGwinnett.org/post/artway2026. Questions can be directed to Chris Cannon, Create Gwinnett's executive director, at [email protected].