Thursday, February 25, 2016

Arts Brigade Proposal Creates Jobs While Reducing City Deficit


The Tucson Arts Brigade (TAB) and Tucson Mural Arts Program is delighted to announce that a seven year campaign to hire Artists to paint murals on Traffic Control Boxes was approved Tuesday night by Tucson City Council.

TAB designed this program so that anyone can now hire artists to paint these murals, creating more jobs and reducing our City deficit. We made the case over the past 7 years by showing that murals require less resources to maintain than blank surfaces.

You can learn more by following this link which outlines instructions for applying to this opportunity.

This is phase three of a five phase initiative designed to Hire Artists to Work in Schools, Neighborhoods and Community Centers using common sense economics.

Phase 1: City of Tucson Environmental Services Trash Container Murals
Phase 2: City Wide Mural Program
Phase 3: Traffic Control Box/Utility Box Demonstration Project
Phase 4-5: Establish a City Wide After School Arts Education Program

Thank you especially to the Ward 6 staff and Council Member Kozachik for making this dream a reality. Thank you also to Ward 1 and our dear friends at Tucson Pima Arts Council for their support on this proposal.

Let's get to work!

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Artist Request for Proposals: Downtown Tucson Murals

Deadline: Midnight Sunday March 6, 2016


The City of Tucson is currently accepting proposals from artists interested in creating murals in downtown Tucson.  The Tucson Mural Program is providing funding for murals that reflect diversity in style and culture. The program will encourage artists from diverse backgrounds and experiences to apply and offer their ideas and designs for these murals. This program is aimed at enriching the greater downtown Tucson experience for residents and visitors alike.

Program Goals
The goals of this program are to:

  1. Beautify public areas in downtown which attract heavy pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
  2. Use art as a landmark to connect residents and visitors to public and private areas downtown;
  3. Prevent tagging and vandalism;
  4. Select dedicated and qualified artists that can demonstrate artistic excellence while completing this program on time and within budget.
About the Program
  • Up to ten murals by ten individual artist or team of collaborative artists will be selected.
  • Mural sizes are listed in Appendix A. Artists do not choose sites.
  • The selection committee is open to all unifying themes. (political or religious themes are not allowed.)
  • The artist is responsible for surface preparation which may include power washing the surface, removing chipping paint, priming the wall etc.
  • The mural will serve as a visual landmark and should be distinctive through use of design, color, etc. Only original art will be considered.
  • The design will be suitable and acceptable for public viewing of all ages.
  • Design must be scalable.
  • Only Arizona artists will be considered.
  • The program budget includes the artist(s) fee, wall preparation, paints, sundries and top coat. Most projects will not exceed $8,000.
  • The program budget does not cover travel, lodging or meal costs. Artists are encouraged to tap into existing professional and personal networks to keep costs reasonable.
  • Artists may bring their own brushes, rollers and other special equipment required to produce the mural.
  • Surface preparation may include power washing the surface, removing chipping paint, priming the wall, etc.
  • The medium to be used must be durable and able to withstand minor wear and tear and harsh outdoor elements for at least five years.
  • Program will procure Nova Color Artists’ Acrylic exterior thinners, paints and clear topcoats as manufactured by Nova Color or approved equivalent. All pigments shall have a lightfastness rating of I as per ASTM D5098. Application methods shall be as per manufacturer’s installation directions to ensure the maximum possible lifespan of the mural.
  • Murals must be completed by June 3, 2016
  • Artists can submit for more than one mural, but each mural must have its own proposal.
Proposals – Submit to COTMuralProgram@gmail.com
Artists interested in creating a work of art through this funding opportunity must submit the following by midnight March 6, 2016 to be considered.

  1. A one-page narrative concept for the mural, including supplemental information such as medium and approximate dimensions of the proposed mural.  The narrative should convey the artistic content, colors, style of work, etc. Also include: (a) Wall preparation plan (b) Mural protection/ maintenance plan
  2. Timetable (murals must be completed by June 3, 2016)
  3. 11 X17 drawing illustration of the proposed mural. Please include mural concepts in PDF or JPEG formats
  4. Itemized budget outlining all costs associated with mural production (artist(s) fee, wall preparation, paints, sundries and top coat)
  5. 1-2 page Resume, contact information
  6. Artist statement (no longer than one page)
  7. Five – eight (5-8) examples of past murals Submit as PDF or JPEG
  8. One page Image list including size, materials, costs and location of works.
  9. All proposal components must be submitted in a digital format. Submit as PDF, JPEG or Word Docs.
Selection Criteria
  • Ability to install mural in a timely manner
  • Quality of previous work.
  • Quality of Proposal
  • Additional Selection Considerations
Public Safety
  • Proposal does not present any public safety hazards.  
Artistic Merit
  • Proposed artwork is aesthetically pleasing and appropriate for the public realm.
  • Artist’s past work demonstrates proficiency in the proposed medium.
  • Artist has exhibited in the public or private realm and participated in team and/or community-based art programs.
Site Suitability
  • Artwork is suitable for the site based on size, scale, and form.
  • Proposal considers the variety of audiences at the site.
  • Proposal considers the social, historical, architectural, geographical and/or cultural context of the site.
Artwork Durability
  • Artwork will be made of durable materials to withstand outdoor weather conditions.
  • Artwork is carefully planned ensuring sound fabrication and installation.
Artists Informational Meeting
Tuesday Feb. 16,  6-7pm
Lower Level Meeting Room
Pima County Public Library
101 N Stone Ave.

Project Timeline


Feb 3, 2016              Artist Call Issued
Feb 16, 2016            Artist Informational Meeting         
MARCH 6, 2016    Applications Due for Artists Proposal and Concept Designs
March 7, 2016         Artists Pool Selected (Panel Meets Session 1)
March 21                 Artists Finalists: Site Specific Mural Design Due
March 28                 Artist Finalists Selected (Panel Meets Session 2)        
April 25                   Mural Painting Starts
June 3                      All Murals Complete           

Appendix A
Mural Sizes Approximate (in feet)
Sizes are Width x Length
  1. 18 X 50
  2. 36 X 29
  3. 50 X 30
  4. 47 X 12
  5. 35 X 28
  6. 70 X 28
  7. 36 X 20
  8. 4 parts: East 35 X 7, S/E 10 X 7, South 22 X 7, West 16 X 7
  9. 24 X 15
  10. 50 X 50
For more information:
Project Manager Michael Schwartz: 520-791-9359 or email COTMuralProgram@gmail.com