UPPER DARBY MURAL ARTS PILOT PROGRAM
Mural Arts Program Goals
In mirroring the successes of the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, we’re starting a small scale model to coordinate with local property owners and young community artists to express themselves and give back to the community through art. Many aspects of community culture can be expressed in vibrant murals in the communities they inhabit.
Murals also create a positive sense of place and destination, resulting in increased foot traffic while adding color, vibrancy, and character to the urban environment. Murals address the negative mental health effects of concrete and asphalt, and can have therapeutic benefits for the community.
Our goal is to complete our first murals by the end of spring in 2024. In the winter planning, submissions and applications will be taken for our larger murals. In late July we will work to paint smaller scale murals.
The importance of giving art the space to flourish in a community is crucial to combat many environmental conditions that come with systemic inequalities.
Mural Arts Project Information
Applications for artists are now being accepted! All artists must submit a letter of interest no longer than one page via email, our artist application form, and prior artwork. Submitting a resume is optional but highly recommended!
After you submit your application, interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. Artist selections will be announced no later than two weeks after your interview for the spring 2024 murals.
COMMUNITY INPUT WANTED
QUEREMOS ESCUCHAR TUS IDEAS PARA EL MURAL.
Do you have an idea for a mural?
We want YOU to be a part of the creative process! So if you have an idea for a mural that celebrates our history, culture, or diversity fill out the quick form below. We will use this information to better guide our muralists and ensure our artworks represent our diverse community. Now's your chance to share your thoughts and be a driving force behind these incredible public artworks.
Drop your suggestions in the form linked below.
Interested Property Owners
This is a once in a generation opportunity to help us beautify the community while also giving back!
If you are interested in learning more or are a property owner in Upper Darby Township that is interested in being the location of a future mural, please send us an email at udtjorganization@gmail.com.
If selected for the first round in the spring of 2024, the mural will be of no cost to you.
We will regularly discuss the mural plans and design with you prior to installation giving you a stake in the design process.
Upon completion of the mural, we usually hold a dedication, providing us with the opportunity to publicly thank all of the parties involved.
We will use reasonable efforts to maintain the mural once it is completed.
U.D.T.J. will respond to all proposed mural requests within 14 days of submitting all the application materials. U.D.T.J. may schedule an interview with you to learn more about the location and project proposals.
Artwork Goals:
Artwork(s) should do at least ONE of the following:
Create excitement and interest for the community,
Express a message that displays hope, equity, love, and/or a sense of community,
Honor and commemorate the rich history of the Township and the community,
Celebrate the diversity in the community,
Inspire residents through their unique cultural heritage and give the communities spaces in which they feel represented and seen.
Following the selection process community groups/organizations will provide feedback on designs and will be communicated to the property owners and U.D.T.J.
Once a theme/design is decided on by the property owner and U.D.T.J. a call for artists will be announced.
The sooner property owners submit their application, the more likely they are to be selected for the first round.
Applications for additional sites will be accepted on a rolling basis depending on availability and funds following the initial application deadline.
Interested Artists
Project Summary:
The project(s) include the creation of murals throughout Upper Darby Township ranging from small electrical boxes to large façade murals. The completion of the mural will occur over late summer into the early fall with the estimated completion of our first round of murals being early October 2023. All supplies necessary for the creation of the artwork will be provided and funded by UDTJ and the ARPA Grant received from Upper Darby Township. The artist (or artist team) will design and paint the mural on site.
The applications for the 2024 Summer Mural Arts program are now closed!
All application materials can be submitted via the google form link below.
Artwork Goals:
Artwork(s) should do at least ONE of the following:
Create excitement and interest for the community,
Express a message that displays hope, equity, love, and/or a sense of community,
Honor and commemorate the rich history of the Township and the community,
Celebrate the diversity in the community,
Inspire residents through their unique cultural heritage and give the communities spaces in which they feel represented and seen.
The artwork must be durable, low maintenance, and appropriate for the location. The artist should take into consideration the high amounts of pedestrian traffic and the proximity to transportation hubs.
UDTJ will work with the property owner to establish basic guidelines for the artists. Initial prohibitions on art include but are not limited to:
- Nudity,
- Hate symbols or partisan political messages,
Artwork of cultural and social movements regardless of politicization will still be considered.
Budget:
The current budget for the program is total around $2,000 - $4,000 per mural. The budget includes all costs associated with the murals including, but not limited to: artist’s design fee, artist stipends, travel, materials, fabrication costs, and installation of the work. UDTJ is a fiscally sponsored non-profit under Amistad Law Project and will fund the entire cost of the mural at no expense to the artist.
Artist Eligibility:
The project is open to all artists in or around Upper Darby Township, age 18 and over, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical or mental disability. High school students are eligible with parental permission. Artist teams are eligible to apply, including teams of artists from multiple disciplines.