Call Description

OVERVIEW
The City of Chattanooga's Public Art division of Arts Culture and Creative Economy is seeking artist applications for City Stages, a project designed to celebrate the performing arts and enhance Chattanooga’s sidewalks with vibrant displays. Four (4) designated performance zones will be visually marked through artist-designed, temporary sidewalk murals.

Up to four (4) artists will be selected, with each assigned one (1) of the designated performance zones. Selected artists will each receive a $4,290 honorarium for their work.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The TN Arts Commission awarded the City of Chattanooga’s Arts Culture and Creative Economy division of Parks and Outdoors, a Creative Placemaking Grant for City Stages. The resulting artworks will become dynamic, recognizable hubs for performance and gathering, transforming everyday public spaces into lively cultural experiences. Selected artists will create site-specific designs that invite public interaction, guide performers, and celebrate Chattanooga’s musical and cultural identity.

City Stages builds on Chattanooga’s longstanding tradition of street performance. By creating formal, artist-designed performance spaces in key public areas, the project highlights the role of arts in shaping the city’s cultural vibrancy and economic vitality.

Designated locations include:

1. Northshore: Renaissance Park: A natural, open site with opportunities for multiple performance-friendly enhancements.

2. Northshore: Coolidge Park (Frazier Ave alley entrance): A welcoming gateway to a high-traffic community park.

3. Downtown: Miller Plaza (Near Market and East Martin Luther King Blvd.): A central hub for gathering and live performance.

4. St. Elmo Avenue: Incline Railway: A vibrant street venue at the foot of Lookout Mountain.
 

City Stages aims to enrich the urban environment, provide structured visibility for hired performers, and create meaningful community connections through regular, spontaneous cultural experiences.

PROJECT DETAILS

Selected artists will design site-specific visual markers for one of the four performance zones. Installations will take the form of 2D asphalt art murals, sized between 4’w x 4’d to 6’w x 6’d and designed to visually define and activate the performance zones while inviting public use and interaction. 

Artwork Criteria:

• Works must be original, durable, and designed for outdoor installation.
• Materials must withstand weather, public interaction, and high foot traffic for up to 3 years. Materials must deteriorate completely or allow for removal after 3 years.
• Designs must be suitable for the public realm with no obscenities or discriminatory content.
• Artists will work with Public Art division staff, Public Works street maintenance staff and other City and community stakeholders during proposal development and site visits.
• The City of Chattanooga will not insure the artworks; artists must agree that works may be subject to natural wear, vandalism, or theft.
   

PROJECT GOALS

• Activate public spaces with dynamic, interactive, and welcoming designs.
• Provide visibility and structured opportunities for local performers.
• Strengthen Chattanooga’s identity as a music and arts city.
• Support local businesses by increasing pedestrian activity.
• Create inclusive, accessible cultural experiences for residents and visitors.
   

HONORARIUM

Each selected artist will receive $4,290 for the creation and oversight of one (1) site-specific design, sized between 4’w x 4’d to 6’w x 6’d depending on the site, including all costs associated with design, fabrication, and installation. Travel-related expenses are also included in this honorarium.

Installation support may be coordinated with City of Chattanooga staff, depending on the needs of the final designs.

TIMELINE

November 10, 2025 – Call to Artists Released
December 22, 2025 – Application Deadline
Week of January 12, 2026 – Artist Selection Panel review and selection of four finalists and assigned locations
January 2025 – Contracts Executed
February 2026 – Site Visits & Design Development
February 19, 2026 – Design Presentations to Public Art Commission for Review/Approval
March - May 2026 – Site Preparation & Artwork Installation
Spring/Summer 2026 – Celebratory Kick-Off Performances

Application Requirements

Required materials:

1. 8–10 sample images of past work.
2. Image information (title, year, location, medium, dimensions, budget, description).
3. Current résumé (2 pages max per team member).
4. Statement of Interest (500 words max) describing your approach to the project.
5. Professional references (at least three, including contact information).
    

Eligibility Criteria

SELECTION PROCESS & CRITERIA

A selection panel of arts professionals, community representatives, and members of the Chattanooga Public Art Commission will evaluate applications. Public Art Chattanooga staff will serve as non-voting facilitators.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Artistic excellence, innovation, and originality.
• Capacity to create durable, site-appropriate public artwork.
• Experience completing projects of similar scope and complexity.
• Understanding of and interest in the project goals.
• Ability to complete the project on schedule and within budget.
• If applicable, ability to work cohesively as a team.