Show-Me State Times

Urban Strategies, Inc. (USI) and the City of St. Louis Community Development Agency (CDA) are seeking local artists to design artwork for various public art projects in the Near North Side as part of the Choice Neighborhood Initiative (CNI).

According to the announcement, "Residents indicated they wanted safer spaces to play, have fellowship and relax; cleaner and better streets; opportunities for meaningful careers that can sufficiently support families; good development of vacant land and buildings; and greater unity and collaboration between neighbors."

The Call for Artists includes five opportunities, each with its own unique project. One of the projects is the Loretta Hall Park Basketball Mural, where an artist will create a design for a basketball court, infusing color and creativity into the park.

Another project is the Loretta Hall Park Mosaic Murals, where an artist will create mosaic designs celebrating the surrounding neighborhoods. Additionally, artists will be selected for the Park to Park Crosswalk Murals, Neighborhood Banners, and Bus Shelter Glass projects.

The process involves artists applying online, submitting samples of previous work, and describing their interest in the projects. The final selection will be made by an Art Advisory Group, with selected artists receiving stipends and design fees for their work.

The Call for Artists is open to St. Louis area-based artists working in a two-dimensional medium. Artists must currently reside within 30 miles of the City of St. Louis to be eligible to apply.

Interested artists can attend a virtual Pre-Application Workshop on March 11 at 4:00 p.m. to learn more about the opportunity and the application process.

For more information on how to apply and the background of the CNI and the Near North Side, interested artists can visit the online application portal or contact art@viapartnership.com for any inquiries.

The deadline for applications is March 26, 2024, with the final selection and execution of the projects expected to take place in the following months.