Hub City Writers Project Call for Mural Artists

The Hub City Writers Project, in partnership with Meeting Street Academy, invites muralists to submit an application to develop a location-specific mural. Murals have always been powerful tools to educate and inform community members over a wide variety of topics including honoring local history, commemorating community members, and influencing political activity. 

This initiative, informally known as Poetry in Parking Lots, will reflect iconic urban landmarks, community histories, and the overall cultural landscape of the city. These murals will serve as a space for gathering, reflection, and an accessible way to experience local art in its integrated forms. This inaugural project aims to be the first of many art initiatives connecting literacy with public parking garages. The mural will be located at the back entrance of Meeting Street Academy through the Kennedy Street Municipal Parking Garage. 

MURAL SPACE 

Approximately 20 ft x 12 ft at the back entrance of Meeting Street Academy

BUDGET
Each artist will receive an honorarium of $3000 and a materials budget of $1000

SELECTION PROCESS
An initial selection committee of composed staff from Hub City Writing Project and Meeting Street Schools will review portfolio submissions and select a muralist. We will take the following into consideration in this selection:

• Artist connection to the proposed mural area

• Artistic innovation and originality in past mural works

Once chosen, the selected artist, along with representatives from the sponsoring organizations will attend community conversations to learn what community members would like to see in their mural. Based on the community conversations, the artist will then develop and submit two to three mural proposals. After committee members approve selected designs, community members, including students from MSA, will decide on the final mural.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES AND REQUIREMENTS

• Artists will need to have previous mural experience.

• Artists must use both literature (see work from poets published by HCWP) as inspiration along with using community feedback from the community conversations.

• Artists are responsible for the entire mural execution including the hiring and paying of assistants, if the artist so chooses.

To be considered, applicants must submit a video proposal (less than five minutes in duration) including the following:

• Portfolio of past mural works

• Artist statement: To include biography, website, and/or social media

• Preliminary budget and materials list

PROJECT TIMELINE

• August 25, 2023: Application Opens

• September 24, 2023 at 11:59 P.M. (EST): Application Closes

• September 25-29 , 2023: Committee Review

• October 2, 2023: Artist Selection and Notification

• November, 2023 Community Conversations/ Review/ Voting

• February 29, 2023: Mural Celebration; Mural Artist and Committee Panel Conversation

APPLY HERE