Mural at RFK Elementary School

The City of Providence Department of Art, Culture + Tourism, Providence Art in City Life Commission, Councilman Salvatore, and RFK Elementary School invite muralists to design and install an original mural on the exterior of the building at 195 Nelson Street, Providence RI. The mural will be painted on several panels above doorways on Nelson and Eaton Streets, offering approximately 234 square feet in total. Panel dimensions vary: 6 x 10ft, 6.5 x 12ft, and 3 x 12 ft. The mural is intended for an exhibition of five years, contingent on funding available. The awarded artist or artist team will be engaged in Summer 2022 to install the mural in early September 2022.

This call is open to individual artists and artist teams with a Rhode Island home or studio address. Applicants must be 21 years or older, able to submit a clean BCI if awarded, and must have demonstrated experience with a portfolio consisting of at least one and up to five outdoor murals. Applicants must be experienced and licensed to use a boom lift and/or scaffolding to complete this project. Providence residents, artists with previous lived experience in Providence, PPSD graduates, Spanish speakers, and artists who demonstrate cultural competency and previous experience working in intercultural modalities will be preferred.

The total project budget is $18,000, of which the awarded artist will receive $12,000 for artist fees and materials. Artists will be selected through a competitive, two-tiered process. Qualified artists may submit their Artist Statement, Resume/CV, and two to five examples of relevant projects by July 15, 2022. The Art Selection Panel will review complete applications and limit the selection pool to no more than three artists or artist teams. Finalists will be invited to develop a site-specific Concept Design and will each be paid a $500 proposal fee. The awarded artist must participate in regularly scheduled check-ins, install and execute the mural (including necessary site preparation), participate in an unveiling and dedication ceremony, provide the City with a maintenance plan, and gift the mural to the City. The awarded artist must be available on weekends throughout September 2022 and must provide a Certificate of Insurance for general liability in the amount of $1,000,000.00 that names the City of Providence as additionally insured.