San Marcos Downtown Mural Gallery Call for Artists

The City of San Marcos Mural Arts Program is commissioning local visual artists to design and paint 8’x 4’ panels to be displayed at an outdoor mural gallery on 111 MLK Drive in San Marcos.

Project: Outdoor Mural Gallery – 111 MLK Drive

Artist Stipend: $1,000 (inclusive of materials)

Deadline: July 20 at 11:59 p.m. CDT

Project Summary

The City of San Marcos Mural Arts Program is commissioning local visual artists to design and paint 8’x 4’ panels to be displayed at an outdoor mural gallery on 111 MLK Drive in San Marcos.

The project must display imagery that expresses the vibe and vibrancy of San Marcos.

The artist stipend for this project is $1,000, inclusive of materials. Panels for the project will be provided by the City of San Marcos; artists will take them to their homes or studios to paint the mural panel, then deliver to the City at a designated time and location.

The City will provide top coat to be applied by the artists.

The application deadline is July 20 at 11:59 p.m. CDT.

Project Background and Goals

The building at 111 MLK is a vacant building that we are using as an outdoor art gallery. Eight new artists will be selected to each paint one 4’ x 8’ panel to be mounted on the side of the building.

The project aims to deter graffiti on the building and offer a vibrant, outdoor art experience for pedestrians in the Downtown district of San Marcos.

The goals of this mural project are to:

• Beautify and add character to the downtown area
• Add to the growing collection of public art
• Deter graffiti

The project should meet the following objectives:

• Creation of colorful and inspiring imagery for residents and visitors
• Creation of imagery reflective of the community values

Evaluation Criteria

The selection of an artist or artist team will be based upon:

Artistic merit of concept and design

• Appropriateness of the design for the location, including the scale, content, and color in relation to the site
• Artist’s qualifications
• Originality of the design

Submissions must be made electronically via CaFE and must include:

• A rough sketch and concept narrative. The narrative should convey the artistic intent, colors, and style. Concept sketch must be proportional to panel dimensions to be considered.
• Contact Information (artist statement or other background information that tells us who you are).
• Examples of other relevant works and/or reviews of similar work. Maximum of five images.

TIMELINE

• July 20 at 11:59 p.m. CDT: Deadline for submission
• Aug. 17: Artist notification
• Aug. 27-29: Panel pickup
• Oct. 12: Panel completion
• TBD: Panel delivery and installation

Open to artists or artist teams who live in San Marcos or Hays County, Texas aged 18 and over.