Florida Wildlife Corridor Mural Project

The Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation and LaBelle Downtown Revitalization invite qualified artists to apply for a public mural commission as part of the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation Mural Campaign. The mural will be painted on the south support incline of the LaBelle Bridge and will highlight Florida's unique wildlife and ecosystems. This project aims to celebrate LaBelle's role in the Florida Wildlife Corridor, raise environmental awareness, and create an iconic, educational work of public art visible year-round to residents and visitors.

Artists are encouraged to explore how perspective can shape the viewing experience, considering how the mural will be seen from multiple angles. The design should showcase a variety of South Florida's inland and river wildlife and flora, while also telling the story of LaBelle—its history, its relationship with the river, or its unique sense of place within the Corridor. The mural should reflect the local environment and themes of the Florida Wildlife Corridor, and can include conservation landscapes, native flora and fauna, recreation, and/or agriculture.

Selected artists will collaborate with project partners, stakeholders, and community members through up to 3 rounds of rendering edits, planning meetings, design reviews, and community engagement activities. Artists must participate in a messaging/Corridor 101 information session, mural artist announcement, and dedication ceremony on January 10th, 2025. Artists will oversee mural production including materials, installation, and site preparation, and must deliver the completed mural within the agreed project timeline and budget. Recording timelapse and/or daily progress videos of mural installation is required.

Applications will be reviewed by an Artist Selection Panel including representatives from the Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, the City of LaBelle, the Audubon Society, The Garcia Companies, and local artists. Finalists will be chosen based on artistic merit and creativity, experience with large-scale murals and public art, ability to complete work on time and within budget, and accuracy of mural components as it relates to the LaBelle region of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. This call is open to professional artists or artist teams with demonstrated experience in large-scale public art and mural installation. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older and legally able to work in the United States. Application requirements include a rendering submission, letter of interest (max 5,000 characters), portfolio of past work, artist statement and CV, three professional references, and a detailed budget.