Liberty, Missouri Mural Program

The City of Liberty, MO Tourism Committee and Visit Liberty are excited to announce the Call for Artists for a new mural project in Liberty, Missouri. Following the successful selection of a wall for the mural, we now seek talented artists to transform this space into a vibrant work of art.

Both muralists and graphic designers are invited to submit their work in digital form. The final artwork will be applied to the wall using high-quality vinyl, ensuring a durable and vibrant display.

The mural project aims to:

• Enhance the aesthetic appeal of our city.
• Promote artists and their work.
• Foster community pride and engagement.
• Celebrate the unique identity and stories of Liberty

Budget: $1,000 stipends paid to top 5 artists selected to provide proposals. $10,000 paid to the final artist selected. 

Timeline: 

• Application Deadline: January 31, 2025
• Finalists will be notified February 14, 2025
• Installation of mural by the end of July 2025

Call for Artists:  Liberty, Missouri Mural Program

The City of Liberty, MO Tourism Committee and Visit Liberty are excited to announce the Call for Artists for a new mural project in Liberty, Missouri. Following the successful selection of a wall for the mural, we now seek talented artists to transform this space into a vibrant work of art.

Purpose

The mural project aims to:

• Enhance the aesthetic appeal of our city.
• Promote artists and their work.
• Foster community pride and engagement.
• Celebrate the unique identity and stories of Liberty

Selected Wall

The mural will be located on Kansas Street on a stamped concrete wall in front of Crowley Furniture at the intersection of West Kansas Street and Forrest Avenue in Liberty, Missouri. The wall is 211 ft. wide at the top and about 9.5 ft high at the tallest point. The ground in front of the wall is sloped. A photo of the wall and the exact dimensions will be provided to the selected artist. 

Artist Eligibility & Experience

We invite applications from:

• Professional and emerging muralists/artists.
• Artists and graphic designers with experience in large-scale outdoor works.
• Individuals or teams with a proven track record of completing mural projects.

Both muralists and graphic designers are invited to submit their work in digital form. The final artwork will be applied to the wall using high-quality vinyl, ensuring a durable and vibrant display. This method allows us to showcase a variety of artistic styles while preserving the integrity of the wall's surface.

Premium consideration will be given to potential murals that:

• Enhance the public and pedestrian environment of Liberty through artistic expression by utilizing an attractive layout and color combinations.
• Visual imagery must be appropriate for all audiences (not containing advertising, partisan politics, sexual or religious content, etc).

Budget

The total budget for this project will include:

• $1,000 stipends paid to up to five artists who are selected to provide proposals.
• $10,000 stipend paid to the final artist selected for this project. The selected artist will be paid in two increments, 50% upon signing the contract and 50% upon completion.
• Wall preparation completed by the City of Liberty or an appropriate vendor.
• Printing and installation of the final mural by an appropriate vendor.

Timeline:

• Call for artists will be open though January 31, 2025
• The Selection Committee will review all applications and select up to 5 artists to submit a proposal. These selected artists will be notified by February 14.
• Proposals will be due back by March 14.
• The Selection Committee will review the submitted proposals and notify the selected artist by March 28.
• The selected artist’s proposal and concept design will be approved by the Liberty City Council at a Regular Session meeting in April.
• It is expected that a full draft of the mural design will be completed by the end of May for review and that the mural will be completely installed by the end of July.

Copyright and Licensing

Upon completion, all copyright and licensing of the mural will belong to the City of Liberty, Missouri in perpetuity. The City may feature the mural in a variety of advertising campaigns and promotions in both photo, video and print. The City will also retain rights to create prints of the design, use the design in merchandise or other products as giveaways or for sale in the future. This will be included in the final contract between the selected artist and the City. The artist may use the mural as a work sample on their website, social media, portfolio and in bids for future projects as a sample of work.

Submission Process & Guidelines

To apply for consideration, please provide the following information:

1. Contact Information

• Name of the artist or lead artist for your team.
• Contact phone number.
• Email address.

2.  Artist Statement and Bio

• A brief statement about your artistic style and approach.
• A short biography highlighting your experience and achievements.

3. Experience and References

• Examples of previous mural work (minimum of three, with images).
• Contact information for at least two references familiar with your past mural projects.

The Selection Committee, composed of members from the Liberty Tourism Committee, Liberty Arts Commission, community representatives and City staff will review all submissions. Up to 5 artists will be selected to submit a formal proposal.

Artists selected to submit a proposal will be paid $1,000 and the submission should include:

• Concept sketches or digital renderings of the proposed mural design.
• A description of the proposed mural, including the intended theme and how it reflects the community of Liberty.
• An itemized budget proposal for the cost to provide a print ready, digital file. The City of Liberty will be responsible for contracting with an appropriate vendor to print and install the vinyl mural.
• The artists are encouraged to research the City of Liberty, visit if they are located in the KC region, communicate with the City of Liberty Public Relations and Tourism staff to ask any questions, etc. to help draft the best possible proposal.

 The Selection Committee will evaluate the submitted proposals based on the following criteria:

• Artistic merit and originality.
• Relevance to the community and alignment with the program’s goals.
• Feasibility and practicality of the proposed design and project plan.
• Artist’s experience and ability to complete the project within the timeframe and budget.

The final selected artist will be contacted to discuss next steps. Before work can begin, the selected muralist and concept design will be approved by the Liberty City Council.

Artist Eligibility & Experience

We invite applications from:

• Professional and emerging muralists/artists in the Kansas City regional area.
• Artists and graphic designers with experience in large-scale outdoor works.
• Individuals or teams with a proven track record of completing mural projects.

Both muralists and graphic designers are invited to submit their work in digital form. The final artwork will be applied to the wall using high-quality vinyl, ensuring a durable and vibrant display. This method allows us to showcase a variety of artistic styles while preserving the integrity of the wall's surface.

Premium consideration will be given to potential murals that:

• Enhance the public and pedestrian environment of Liberty through artistic expression by utilizing an attractive layout and color combinations.
• Visual imagery must be appropriate for all audiences (not containing advertising, partisan politics, sexual or religious content, etc).