Make It Your Own Mural Fest, an initiative of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, seeks artists to create 11 murals, one in each of the 11 partnership counties in northeastern Indiana. Murals will be created over 11 days in September, 2020.
Budget: Varies by location, but will be at least a $3,000 fee to the artist per mural (materials, supplies, and equipment are provided at no cost to the artist; travel, lodging and meals are NOT provided to artists)
Eligibility: Professional mural artists over 18; emerging muralists may apply for the project's mentorship program
Deadline: May 31, 2020
Review the project website here
Review the artist FAQs here
*NOTE: Artists must develop and submit mural designs as part of the application process. Applicants are not compensated for this up-front design work.
Project Description
Make It Your Own Mural Fest is an innovative, creative activation of the Make It Your Own brand intended to enhance the region’s efforts to drive talent attraction, talent retention and tourism.
The regional mural festival concept, the first of its kind in the state, will build on the quality of place efforts accelerated by the Regional Cities Initiative, growing regional pride and garnering significant attention and exposure nationally.
Over 11 days, regional, national and international artists will create 11 high-quality murals—one in each of the 11 counties of Northeast Indiana. The murals will all be unveiled on the same day, with celebrations and events taking place all over the region throughout the duration of the festival to recognize the artists and the communities.
Each county of Northeast Indiana is participating, and specific mural locations have been determined through a county-led selection committee process with a combination of regional and local input.
Site Information
Artists submitting an application with a design may be chosen to create a mural in one of the following counties:
The following counties will hand-select artists to participate. Applicants submitting to the current process will NOT be selected for one of these counties:
Timeline
Mentorship Program
Students, emerging artists and veteran artists are invited to apply for the Mentorship Program as part of Make It Your Own Mural Fest from September 8 through 18. Individuals selected for the Mentorship Program get the opportunity to participate in a training component of Make It Your Own Mural Fest, providing for hands-on learning and valuable experience installing a large-scale mural project. Up to five individuals per mural will be selected as volunteers and will work directly under the guidance of the selected muralist to install a mural in one of Northeast Indiana's 11 counties.
Other Terms
If selected, artists must commit to paint onsite during the entire 11 days of the festival with the volunteers that have been assigned to them. If the artist cannot complete their mural in the specific 11-day time period, s/he should not apply to be part of the festival.
If selected, artists must agree to be present at specified festival events. All events will occur during the 11-day festival period.
Selection Process
The jury is made up of individuals from each county as well as artists, university professors, and/or gallery representatives. Jury representatives from each individual county will select the winning artwork from a pool of concepts submitted to that county only. For example, jurors from Adams County will review all Adams County mural proposals.
What to Submit
Before applying, artists should review information about the participating counties and the mural sites, in order to prepare design concepts. Each artist can submit up to two mural designs in up to two counties.
Artists will submit the following:
How to Submit
Complete the online application located here.
QUESTIONS? Email murals@neindiana.com or call 260-469-3469.
