City of Kinston calls for artists to participate in Kinston mural program

The City of Kinston, with support from the Downtown Mural Program Selection Committee, is seeking qualifications from artists for the commission of outdoor public murals in downtown Kinston, NC. The City expects to select up to eight artists/teams for up to eight murals to be completed by August 2020. The mural locations will be throughout downtown, with the aim of enhancing connectivity between cultural and economic assets in Kinston’s City Center.

The City of Kinston and Selection Committee are interested in receiving applications from artists with a range of experiences and skillsets. Local artists, artists with a North Carolina connection, national, and international artists are encouraged to apply. Submissions from visual artists with limited or no experience in public art are also welcome.

The Committee is especially interested in receiving submissions from artists with experience and interest in collaborative, community-based mural projects that build social ties, represent diversity, and/or develop a sense of communal ownership of public spaces. Artists will be selected based on their past experience, artistry, alignment with the program’s goals, and demonstrated interest. Artists will be asked to develop concepts after they are selected.

Artists can apply online at https://kinstonplanning.submittable.com/ or contact Community Development Planner Sarah Arney for a print copy. Local artists seeking professional development experience and interested in unpaid apprenticeship opportunities with professional muralists participating in this program should contact publicart@kinstonnc.gov. Apprenticeships are not guaranteed and will be considered on a case-by-case basis as opportunities arise.

For more information on the City of Kinston’s Downtown Mural Program, visit the city page online at kinstonnc.gov/MuralProgram, or call Community Development Planner Sarah Arney at 252-939-3271.