The University of Maryland, Baltimore hopes to engage an experienced artist to create a public mural that celebrates the local history of West Baltimore where the campus is located.
Between 1997 and 2011 the University acquired three properties located between 114 – 116 N. Greene Street. The buildings were not in good condition and continued to deteriorate. They were subsequently demolished in 2018. As part of a Memorandum of Agreement with the Maryland Historical Trust, the University agreed to design and install a mural at the site to “celebrate the history of the neighborhood.”
There is a designated location for the mural on the north façade of 108 N. Greene Street (see attached Site Plan). The mural will be located in a dense urban setting so it must be durable, easily maintained and not create public safety issues. The mural should utilize enduring materials that can withstand a downtown environment with pedestrian traffic, and exposure to vehicular pollution. Night lighting of the mural wall area has been installed and is unlikely to be further expanded in the future, so please account for this in your design. Finally, the mural will be a place intended for meeting, hanging out and/or studying, and used for selfies or as a backdrop for graduation photographs.
All professional artists or artist teams residing in the State of Maryland may apply. Special consideration will be given to applicants that reside in the Baltimore region. If artists are applying as a team, the team should be declared on the Application Form, specifying a team leader to receive notifications. Artists currently enrolled in any university or college degree program are not eligible to apply. Staff, faculty, or employees of UMB are not eligible to apply.
Up to four semi-finalist artists or artist teams will be selected to develop a proposal. Each semi-finalist team will receive a $500 stipend towards preparing a site-specific mural design for presentation towards UMB’s selection of a finalist. There will be no additional funds or compensation to each semi-finalist for this effort.
The artwork project budget is $23,000 and is inclusive of all costs associated with the project, including but not limited to: artist coordination and expenses (sub-consultants, travel/lodging, printing, overhead, etc.), artwork fabrication details and specifications, artwork materials and fabrication, storage, transportation and installation, related permits, licenses, and insurance. Any expenses that exceed the contracted amount will be the artist’s responsibility. The artist will be responsible for submitting an artwork maintenance manual upon completion.
The RFQ application deadline is Monday, November 15, 2021.
Please see the PDF below for full details on the project, including photos of the site, timelines, and evaluation criteria.
