MUSCATINE, Iowa – Two public art opportunities have been announced by the Public Art Advisory Commission for the City of Muscatine including a mural project on Houser Street and public art installation in the center circle of the roundabout at 2nd Street and Mulberry Avenue or near that location.
The first opportunity is a mural project on Houser Street with organizations invited to submit applications to the Public Art Advisory Commission. Up to five organizations will be selected to receive a $300 stipend to complete a mural project on a section of retaining wall between Hershey Avenue and Lucas Street.
“Muscatine clubs and organizations are invited to apply to work on a mural,” Melanie Alexander, City staff liaison to the Public Art Advisory Commission and Director of the Muscatine Art Center, said. “We hope student and youth groups, as well as service organizations and non-profits, consider developing a concept for a mural. Ideally, each of the five murals should celebrate Muscatine’s history, share a positive message, or promote another unique feature of the community.”
Clubs and organizations will have the option to either complete the project themselves or to work with or hire artists or muralists from the region. Upon request, the Public Art Advisory Commission will help match selected organizations with a muralist.
Artists who would like to be considered for the mural project should contact the Muscatine Art Center. Mural painting is scheduled to begin Summer 2021 with a target completion date of October 1, 2021.
The public art installation for the roundabout has a target completion date of summer 2022. The more lengthy process will allow the Public Art Advisory Commission to gather input from the public and community stakeholders.
The second opportunity is a request for qualifications from artists to be considered for a public art installation project in or near the roundabout at 2nd and Mulberry.
The request for qualifications is open to artists living in Iowa or a neighboring state. Artists with prior experience completing a public art installation are encouraged to apply. From the qualified applicants, the Public Art Advisory Commission will select up to three artists who will receive $750 stipends to complete a concept for the installation. The concepts will then be shared with the public.
“Because the roundabout is the entryway to downtown, the Public Art Advisory Commission is looking for artists who can create something that is unique to Muscatine and can deliver a project that takes into account several logistical concerns especially in regards to the safety of pedestrians and drivers,” Alexander said.
Both projects are firsts for the Public Art Advisory Commission that was created in July 2019. The five community members appointed by City Council are joined by one staff member from the Muscatine Art Center and one from the Parks and Recreation Department.
The commission devoted its first year to reviewing how other communities carry out public art projects and securing a grant that covers stipends for the artists creating concepts for an installation at Second and Mulberry. Originally, the advisory commission had planned to hold two forums about public art, but COVID-19 disrupted plans to hold this type of large gathering.
“Moving forward on not just one but two public art projects is a silver lining for 2020,” Alexander said. “We are excited to see how artists and organizations respond to these opportunities.”
The applications for both the mural project and the installation at Second and Mulberry can be found on the Muscatine Art Center’s website, www.muscatineartcenter.org on the “Artists” page under “Get Involved”. The applications are also available on the “bid postings” page of the City of Muscatine’s website. Interested artists and organizations can also call 563-263-8282 to request the materials.
The deadline to apply for the mural project is February 1, 2021. The deadline to respond to the request for qualifications is March 1, 2021.
The Muscatine Art Center is located at 1314 Mulberry Avenue in Muscatine, Iowa. Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Thursday evenings until 7:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated. Visit www.muscatineartcenter.org for more information about programs and events. Please contact Katy, Program Coordinator, with any questions about our upcoming programs at 563-263-8282 or by email at kloos@muscatineiowa.gov.