Muralocity: Request for Qualifications (RFQ)

Muralocity is a Public Art Initiative that will activate historic downtown Lowell, Michigan with five community-driven murals. The project is organized by Lowell Arts in partnership with the City of Lowell's Downtown Development Authority. This is a two-phase selection process. Artists will submit their experience and qualifications for review. The Selection Committee will identify finalists who will then be invited to develop detailed, site-specific proposals. Only finalists will advance to the Request for Proposals (RFP) phase. Finalists will receive a $400 stipend to support design development, research, and final presentation. This opportunity is open to professional and emerging artists and artist-led teams 18 years or older.

A Selection Committee will select fifteen finalists to advance to the Request for Proposals (RFP) phase. From these finalists, five artists or artist-led teams will be selected—one for each mural site—to design and install murals at their assigned locations in downtown Lowell. Each mural site has a pre-determined theme: an immersive wildlife experience featuring native plants, fauna, and sky scenes; a panoramic celebration of the river, Lowell's iconic riverboat, and native species; an exploration of electricity and the beauty of light and energy; imagery weaving together the 1977 Artrain visit that sparked the founding of Lowell Arts; and a celebration of the city's industrial heritage at the convergence of the Grand and Flat Rivers. Each finalist should incorporate a community engagement element into their proposal. Finalists will integrate community input gathered through the DDA-funded discovery phase, including public surveys and community engagement projects conducted throughout 2025.

Project Timeline: RFQ submission deadline March 20 by 11:59 pm ET; notification of finalist selections March 27; finalists develop detailed proposals March 28 to April 17; notification of artist selections for commission May 1, 2026; artwork installation August 1 to 28; artwork dedication event October 10. Budget: $5,000 - $10,000 per mural based on location and size. Work sample requirements: 5-20 images and 0-2 videos (5-20 total samples).