photo by: Rochelle Valverde

A wooded area in eastern Lawrence near the railroad tracks that was formerly the location of La Yarda is pictured Jan. 22, 2022.

The team working to create an art installation about the La Yarda community in eastern Lawrence is seeking a professional artist or team of artists to help with the project.

Project Director Marlo Angell announced the search for interested applicants in a news release last week. It’s the latest step in a two-year project working with the Mexican-American community to create an “immersive art experience” recreating a room from La Yarda using film, sound, art and photography. The Lawrence Arts Center, LiveWell Douglas County and the City of Lawrence’s Parks and Recreation Department are collaborating on the project, which will be installed on the Lawrence Loop Trail within a few blocks of where the La Yarda neighborhood once stood.

According to the release, emerging artists are encouraged to apply with more established artists, and artists with cultural connections to the history are especially welcome.

“This public artwork project, made possible by funding from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas as part of LiveWell Douglas County’s Pathways to a Healthy Kansas grant, will recognize the contributions of the La Yarda residents and invite visitors to revisit history while engaging in the outdoor trail system,” the release reads.

As the Journal-World has reported, the housing unit built in the woods along the railroad tracks was home to dozens of Mexican-American railway workers and their families from 1920 to 1951, when it was destroyed in a flood.

The deadline for submissions is March 15, and a link to the full application form is available on the project’s website. Those with questions can reach Angell at marlo@lawrenceartscenterorg or by calling 785-843-2787 ext. 132.