Spokane Downtown Murals Call for Proposals

Spokane Arts seeks regional artists or artist teams to develop mural projects for downtown railroad underpass locations at Post Street and Railroad Alley. Priority will be given to artists with roots in the Inland Northwest. Applicants must reside in this region.

Two themes guide the proposals: "Spokane Legends" for the Post Street location and "Spokane Landmarks" for Railroad Alley. While these themes can be taken literally, artists are encouraged to explore beyond usual subjects to tell Spokane's important and curious stories in a visual context. The Post Street BNSF Tunnel features 4 inset niche areas on each side (approximately 17' width by 7' height) on both east and west sides, with painting limited to niche areas only. Railroad Alley at Barrister Winery has a north viaduct façade with total wall length of 300 linear feet, niche insets of approximately 15' x 12', and total wall height of 15 feet. Artist stipends are $3,000 for the Post Street mural and $4,000 for Railroad Alley.

Mural execution must begin in September 2015 and be completed by October 31st, 2015. Selected muralists/teams are expected to provide materials including paint, brushes, drop-cloths, scaffolding, and other necessary tools. Spokane Arts will assist with city obstruction permits, liability insurance, and site preparation. Submissions must include a letter of interest, current resume/CV, detailed proposal with community engagement philosophy (maximum one page), and up to 10 image samples. A selection panel will evaluate proposals based on demonstrated ability, technical and conceptual quality, and appropriateness to site. Finalists will be interviewed, and selected artists will develop site-specific renderings and establish painting timelines with Spokane Arts representatives.