The Arts Council of Mendocino County announces its plans to award $14,000 to a Mendocino County artist for a mural in Ukiah. The guidelines and instructions pdf for entry can be found here.
Entries are due no later than December 15, 2017.
The mural is funded in part by a Local Impact grant from the California Arts Council. The CAC’s Local Impact grant program fosters equity, access, and opportunity by providing project and partnership support for small arts organizations with operating budgets under $1 million. All projects extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations that have limited access to the arts. With support from the California Arts Council, the Arts Council of Mendocino County will coordinate and commission the first work of public art to be approved through the City of Ukiah’s new Public Art Policy.
Alyssum Wier, Arts Council of Mendocino County Executive Director, reports that her hope is that this first project, which will require “continued partnership and collaboration between arts organizations, community members, and the city” — will inspire other artists and arts organizations to carry out future public art projects throughout the county. Wier states, “Right now there’s a significant amount of community support for public art thanks to the grassroots efforts of individuals and local artist groups. Laura Fogg and Art Center Ukiah have been instrumental in raising the donations locally that were required in order to receive matching funds from the California Arts Council. This public/private collaboration strengthens our community, creates economic opportunity for artists, brings much needed state funds to our community, and results in a more lively streetscape that reflects our sense of place, character, and pride of community.” “As the County Seat, Ukiah is in a unique position to create a strong favorable impression upon visitors to our breathtaking county and public art is something that visitors look for and enjoy discovering when they travel,” said Wier. It is anticipated that work can begin on one or more murals by spring of 2018 and the opportunity is open to any artist who resides in Mendocino County.
The public had a hand in defining the desired themes for the proposed mural at an open house held in early February. A committee further distilled the criteria down to the following: The selected mural should show 1. Pride in our unique and diverse community; 2. Ukiah’s characteristic landscape of agriculture and beautiful natural scenery, and, 3. A positive sense of the future.
Please contact the Arts Council of Mendocino County for more information: (707) 463-2727.