Call for Muralists, Street Artists, Fabricators, and Mural Production Specialists

The City of Santa Fe Arts & Culture Department seeks a diverse range of muralists and street artists, as well as large-scale mural or sign fabricators interested in working with artists, to join the Art in Public Places (AIPP) Public Artist Roster.  

We encourage artists working in murals, street art, graphic art, printmaking, illustration, narrative art, wheat-paste, photography, typography, pattern, collage, and other forms of large-scale visual storytelling to apply for inclusion in a roster of artists and creative fabricators for upcoming mural and large-scale public art opportunities throughout Santa Fe.

The City of Santa Fe Arts & Culture Department seeks a diverse range of muralists and street artists, as well as large-scale mural or sign fabricators interested in working with artists, to join the Art in Public Places (AIPP) Public Artist Roster.  

What is the Public Artist Roster? 

The Public Artist Roster is a standing list of pre-qualified artists, artist teams, and fabricators paired with artists, approved through open competition and is used to streamline the AIPP selection process.  

Selected artists remain on the roster for two-years before the next call opens in 2028. 

Roster Panel Process 

-  Applications are due at midnight on October 25, 2026

- Submissions are brought forth to a selection committee in November 2026

- The committee looks for the following criteria when reviewing applications: Does the applicant’s portfolio demonstrate technical skills and material knowledge to successfully execute a high-quality public project? Does the applicant demonstrate capacity for creating work that prioritizes community benefit, civic participation, or site-specific relevance? Does the applicant communicate and demonstrate a distinct artistic voice or perspective that would be a valuable contribution to society? 

- A final pool of artists is determined and becomes eligible for future projects over the next two-years.

- Applicants will be notified whether or not they’ve been included in the roster by the end of November.

- For each opportunity, the AIPP Program brings together a panel comprising of interest holders, including community members, local artists, regional experts, and city staff

- Based on the panel’s criteria and goals, the AIPP Program compiles and presents 10-15 artists from the pool

- An artist/artist team is voted upon, selected, and notified about the commission

About the Opportunities 

Selected artists and fabricators will be considered for upcoming City of Santa Fe mural and public art projects.  

Inclusion in the roster does not guarantee a commission. Instead, the AIPP Program and panelists utilize the roster to identify artists whose experience and creative approach aligns with specific opportunities as they develop.  

While every commission is different, City of Santa Fe Public Art Projects move through the following stages and require collaborating with Arts & Culture staff throughout the entire process, as well as other City Departments, community members, architects, engineers, fabricators:  

Community Charrette → Concept Development → Schematic Development → Design Development → Engineering + Approvals, when required → Fabrication + Installation → Community Celebration → Documentation → Scheduled Ongoing Maintenance 

Opportunities may vary in scale, duration, location, budget, and method of production. Projects include permanent murals, temporary murals, rotating installations, artist-led experiments, community collaborations, as well as work integrated into parks, trails, civic facilities, corridors, and other public spaces. 

Applications must be submitted online via CaFE by the deadline of October 25, 2026 at 11:59 PM MDT. No late applications will be accepted. Allow extra time for possible technical issues. 

The application will request: 

     - Artist name and contact information

     - Website and/or social media, if applicable

     - A short artist statement or bio

     - A brief description of your approach, the types of public projects that interest you

     - A resume or summary of relevant experience

     - Up to 12 examples of recent work

     - Up to 3 references

(Artists without previous mural experience are welcome to apply if their existing body of work demonstrates strong potential for translation to large scale.) 

Selection Considerations: 

The City will consider artistic quality, originality, technical experience where applicable, ability to work at public scale, relevance to future opportunities, and demonstrated capacity to work professionally and collaboratively. 

Santa Fe has an extraordinary and layered cultural landscape. We welcome artists whose work demonstrates curiosity, imagination, respect for place, and an ability to contribute something distinctive to the city's visual environment.

This call is open to local, national, and international artists working in a variety of media.  

Who Are We Looking For? 

The City welcomes submissions from: 

     - Experienced muralists and public artists

     - Street artists

     - Graphic artists and illustrators

     - Printmakers

     - Narrative and figurative artists

     - Artists working with wheat-paste, collage, photography, pattern, text, and mixed media

     - Artists experienced in large-scale exterior work

     - Artists interested in translating studio work to public scale

     - Artist teams and collectives

Artists interested in temporary, rotating, experimental, or permanent mural projects 

We are particularly interested in artists with a strong and recognizable visual language who can think expansively about walls, architecture, public space, and the experience of moving through the City of Santa Fe. 

We welcome submissions in many mediums, including but not limited to hand-painted murals, graphic and digitally translated work, wheat-paste installations, printed and fabricated systems, and other methods appropriate for exterior public environments. 

Artists do not need to define themselves exclusively as muralists. A printmaker, illustrator, photographer, graphic artist, painter, or other visual artist with work that could translate powerfully to architectural scale is also encouraged to apply. 

Some artists have extraordinary ideas and visual practices but may not have the technical experience, equipment, crew, or desire to personally execute a multi-story or highly complex exterior work. We want to build the production capacity to make those projects possible. 

Mural Fabricators + Production Specialists 

We are also seeking mural fabricators, installers, production artists, and experienced large-scale painters who can help execute another artist's creative vision. 

Fabricators and production specialists may include individuals, artist crews, studios, sign painters, scenic painters, installers, printers, wall-preparation specialists, and others experienced in translating artwork to architectural scale. 

Relevant experience may include: 

     - Large-scale painting and mural execution

     - Image enlargement, gridding, projection, transfer, and layout

     - Exterior wheat-paste and printed installations

     - Large-format printing and mounting

     - Surface preparation and coatings

     - Lift and scaffold work

     - Complex installation

     - Translating digital or studio artwork to architectural scale

     - Working collaboratively while maintaining another artist's creative intent