Arts Alley Murals Project - Request for Qualifications

The Rock Island Downtown Alliance and Quad City Arts are seeking two artists or artist teams to design and install two public murals on exterior walls in Rock Island, Illinois at 1719 2nd Avenue. The murals will be located in "Arts Alley," a pedestrian area being redeveloped into a mixed-use space featuring a decorative walkway, signage, lighting, areas for social gatherings and performances, weatherproof vendor stalls, and additional art installations. Arts Alley is part of the larger Rebuild Downtown Rock Island Project.

Mural 1 (west-facing wall) has a paintable surface of approximately 80' wide by 28' high. Mural 2 (east-facing wall) has a paintable surface of approximately 60' wide by 30' high. The murals are not required to cover the entirety of the designated space. Payment for Mural 1 is $33,600 and for Mural 2 is $27,000, with 50% paid upon contract execution and 50% within 2 weeks of completion. This fee includes all associated costs of creation. Up to ten days of lodging and a lift will be provided upon request. All selected finalists asked to submit a design proposal will be paid $500.

The murals should not include welcome verbiage or explicit reference to Rock Island, and should not include river or river elements. Artists must have large-scale mural experience with sufficient knowledge of medium and materials to ensure durability. Selected artists must obtain commercial general liability insurance ($1,000,000 per occurrence), property damage ($1,000,000 per occurrence), bodily injury ($1,000,000 per occurrence), and automobile liability ($500,000 combined single limit) prior to commencing installation. Artists must be willing to work with Quad City Arts and Rock Island Downtown Alliance to modify designs based on input and building specifications. Applicants must be 18 or older. Selection will be based on design aesthetic, ability to deliver on time, and experience with similar scale projects. Questions should be submitted to [email protected] by February 15. Finalists will be notified March 15, submit designs April 5, and selected artists will be notified April 19. Murals are to be completed by May 31 (timeline is weather-pending and subject to agreement with building owners and artist).