Wolf River Cultural Greenway: Tunnel Murals

Call for Artists: Wolf River Cultural Greenway: Tunnel Murals

The city of Germantown invites artists to submit qualifications to the Germantown Public Art Program to create a series of murals for the first phase of The Wolf River Cultural Greenway initiative. 

Up to 10 artists will be selected to design murals inspired by the wildlife and biodiversity of the Wolf River, transforming a pedestrian tunnel near the Riverwoods State Nature Area into a welcoming gateway for people and wildlife alike.

Details:

• Mural sites include sections of the tunnel interior and sides of the tunnel entryways ranging in scale from 120 sq. ft to 396 sq. ft.
• Budgets range from $3,800–$5,000
• Open to artists (18+) within 75 miles of Germantown, TN. Large format painting experience encouraged.

Submit your qualifications for a chance to design this exciting public artwork!

For more information, visit germantownpublicart.org

Request for Qualifications

Project: Wolf River Cultural Greenway: Tunnel Murals

Overview:

The city of Germantown invites artists to submit qualifications to the Germantown Public Art Program to create a series of murals for the first phase of The Wolf River Cultural Greenway initiative. Up to 10 artists or artist teams will be selected to design and paint a mural for a section of the Riverwoods Pedestrian Tunnel along the Germantown Greenway.

Background

The Wolf River Cultural Greenway initiative is a multi-phase effort to integrate public art throughout the Germantown Greenway trail system, expanding the Greenway’s role beyond recreation to serve as a focal point for cultural and social connection. Public art along the Greenway will foster stewardship and community pride, support mental well-being, inspire exploration, celebrate regional history and heritage and provide opportunities for artists. Together, these artworks will enhance safety and visual interest along the trail, attract visitors and help establish the Germantown Greenway as a vibrant cultural corridor that integrates recreation with artistic expression.

This Call to Artists represents Phase I of the Wolf River Cultural Greenway initiative. In this initial phase, the Germantown Public Art Commission seeks to commission a series of murals along the trail system that will add vitality to the pedestrian tunnel near the Riverwoods State Nature Area. Future phases are anticipated to include additional murals as well as public art installations at other locations along the Greenway. The Phase I murals will establish a welcoming gateway and visual landmark, setting the foundation for future artistic development along the greenway.

Mural sites include sections of the tunnel interior and sides of the tunnel entryways ranging in scale from 120 sq. ft to 396 sq. ft. 

Scope of Work

Up to ten artists will be selected from the applicant pool to design and create murals inspired by the wildlife and biodiversity of the Wolf River. The tunnel will feature eight midsized murals ranging from approximately 192 to 396 square feet. In addition, the tunnel entryways will accommodate one or two artists who will create smaller mural vignettes on either side of the entrances, each measuring approximately 32 square feet (see diagrams for size and placement).

In coordination with the selected artists, community paint days may be scheduled to provide assistance during the initial phases of painting. Prior to installation, the concrete surfaces of the tunnel will be cleaned and primed. Selected artists or teams will be responsible for painting their approved designs on their assigned sections of the concrete tunnel using exterior-grade paint.

Budget: 

Up to ten artists will be selected to develop design concepts for this project. Each semi-finalist will receive a $500 stipend for creating an original mural design by the established deadline. Artists or teams chosen for installation will be assigned a section of the tunnel and compensated at a rate of $20 per square foot, which includes artist fees, final artwork design, materials and completion of the approved mural by the specified completion date.

Timeline:

• Release Call for artists: 1/16/26
• Call for artist deadline: 2/4/26
• Semi-finalists notified by email: 2/20/26
• Proposed mural designs due: 3/12/26
• Finalists announced: 3/27/26
• Final designs due: 4/16/26
• Mural completion: TBD (end of May- early June)

Applicants submitting materials for the Wolf River Cultural Greenway Tunnel Murals project must fill out all of the sections and include all of the information, materials, and attachments through the CaFE™ artist application system by 10:59 p.m. CST on February 4, 2025. 

Submission requirements:

• Artist resume / CV and bio
• 10 artwork samples (including detail shots) completed within the past eight years
• If available, include artwork that is related to the theme of nature
  • DO NOT include any proposed mural designs in your application
• A brief description of how you might approach designing a mural for this project
• All of the information in the drop-down menus with details for your work of art samples

Note: Art teams must submit their qualifications either under a group name or the lead artist's name. Teams are required to submit a minimum of (10) images of their work, but may submit up to an additional five images to showcase the team's collective experience. 

This call is open to both emerging and established professional artists residing up to 75 miles from Germantown, TN who are a minimum of 18 years old working in two-dimensional media. Previous public art experience is not required. Mural experience is encouraged.

Evaluation/ Selection Process:

Applications submitted for this Call for Artists will be reviewed by the City’s Public Art Manager. The Manager will then forward all complete and eligible applications received by the deadline to the Artist Selection Committee. This committee will consist of members from the City of Germantown’s Public Art Commission, as well as staff from the Parks and Recreation Department and City Communications.

The Artist Selection Committee will assess the qualifications of the applicants and select up to ten artists to create a mural design by the specified deadline.

Selection Criteria:           

• Complete qualifications submitted prior to the application deadline
• Artistic excellence as demonstrated in the submitted images of the artist(s) previous work
• Evidence of working in the mural field or experience creating large format paintings
• Creativity and originality
   

About Germantown Public Art

The Germantown Public Art Program is a city division that supports the work of the Public Art Commission. Under the guidance of Germantown Mayor and the Board of Mayor Aldermen the Public Art Commission was formed in 2018. The Germantown Public Art Program is dedicated to celebrating the people, history, and spirit of Germantown through its investment in high-quality public artwork to enhance the city’s environment and public spaces by strategically placing public art throughout the community.

Questions and Point of Contact

Cat Peña, Public Art Manager 

City of Germantown

• Phone: 901.751.7664
• Email: cpena@germantown-tn.gov