40 North and the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail invite muralists to submit an application to develop location-specific murals celebrating the lives and contributions of African Americans in the Champaign County area. Murals have always been powerful tools to educate, connect, and inform community members about a wide variety of topics including honoring our unique local history. Funding for this mural series is made available through the Experience Champaign-Urbana Foundation and a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity. Submissions must be received by midnight, March 15, 2024.
The mission of the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail is to educate today’s residents and visitors about the rich cultural history of a people whose stories have been largely unrecognized, but who directly shaped the place we call home. The vision is to inspire conversation, expand understanding, and contribute to a better society. An important goal for the Trail is to provide an accessible experience for visitors and all community members.
Application Requirements:
Artists are responsible for the entire mural execution, including hiring and paying assistants if needed. All applicants will be notified by email about the final selection of artists. Selected artists will develop a mural design and work with 40 North and members of the Champaign County African American Heritage Trail to approve a final layout and establish a timeline for completing the mural. The selected artists will be provided with a general theme/direction for each mural which include:
a. Education
b. African American “firsts” and pioneers
c. Power of Black women
d. Written word / lyrics
e. Possible other topics related to local African American history
Selected artists will be compensated in two installments. The first payment, paid upon contract, will include the design fee, and a negotiated portion of the square footage cost to cover project mobilization and materials. The second payment will pay the balance of the fee upon final acceptance of the mural installation. Each mural location may have unique parameters to work within including size, materials, installation, etc. We ask artists to be innovative and flexible. Available funds for each mural will vary based on site specifications, square footage, and other factors, but we anticipate each mural will have an average budget of $30,000 or approximately $30 per square foot. The murals will be a variety of sizes and therefore at different costs but once an artist has been selected they will be assigned a specific location and will be provided detailed dimensions prior to creating anything specific for the project.
To be considered, applicants must include the following:
- Small portfolio (5-8 images) of past mural works (preferred) or non-mural works most similar to the project.
- For each artwork, please provide title, media, dimensions, year produced, budget, and location.
- Artist statement: including biography, website, and/or social media
- Submit a preliminary budget (based on square footage, location, painting surface, the complexity of style) - be sure to include any equipment rentals, materials, and assistant fees if any.
LOCATION
The murals will be located throughout Champaign-Urbana. Each location will be selected based on its high visibility, overall wall condition, and significant ties to local African American community.
SELECTION CRITERIA
- Artistic excellence and originality
- Artist’s experience with public or large-scale mural(s)
- Artist’s authentic perspective on and understanding of African American history
- Artist’s ability to produce work that speaks to specific topics in Champaign County’s African American history
- Artist's ability to meet overall project budget requirements
- Artists's ability to complete the project by end of install period (September 2024)
PROJECT TIMELINE
- February 2024: Call for Portfolios Opens
- March 15, 2024: Application Closes
- Week of March 18, 2024: Committee Review
- March 29, 2024: Selected Artists Notification for initial mural design
- April 26, 2024: Artist designs submitted
- May 2024: Final designs selected and contracts signed (contract to include detailed information on room/board; travel; meals; transportation; site preparation; additional project needs, etc.
- June 2024: Artists begin murals
- September 2024: Murals completed
If you have questions, please contact 40 North at:
Phone: 217.351.9841
Email: kwhite@40north.org