Call Description

Old Town Winchester is located in the scenic Northern Shenandoah Valley and includes a centrally located walking mall with many locally owned shops, cozy restaurants, craft breweries, and inviting coffee spots. 

Friends of Old Town, a local nonprofit benefiting historic Winchester's downtown, is looking to install a two-part mural across two sites 120 N Indian Alley and 115 N Loudoun Street. The two pieces of the mural should reference one another, with the corner mural drawing attention to the larger mural further down the alley (see photos). The smaller piece of the mural will be on the corner (side) of 115 N Loudoun Street (12’ high x 8’-6” wide) and the larger piece will be on the side of 120 N Indian Alley (8’ high x 25’-6” wide) as it faces the Taylor Pavilion, a community performance space located on Winchester’s Walking Mall. The theme for this mural is “Past and Present Performance”; the Taylor Pavilion was the former home of the Colonial Theatre, whose history you can read about here (link). 

Submitting artists should have experience designing and painting murals. While a concept sketch is not required for submission, a brief written description of the design is required. This description should reflect the project theme and context of the project site, while being respectful of the greater context of the community; the proposed design must also be family-friendly and cannot depict sexual conduct or sexually explicit nudity nor advertise an activity illegal under the laws of Virginia or the United States. Project leaders may contact applicants for clarification of their project prior to final selection. 

The selected artist whose proposal best meets the project objectives will receive a $500 stipend to submit a concept design image of the proposed artwork, scaled to the spaces and digitally shown in the context of the project sites. This concept design will undergo one round of review by the Stakeholder Committee before it is finalized with the artist and mural installation may begin. 

The budget for this project is $10,000 and covers the artist fee and paint supplies. Equipment rental will be provided. The artist’s stay in Winchester will be paid for separately and covered by the local artist residency the Peter Bullough Foundation or by local residents. Any necessary personal protection equipment for the safe completion of the project must be purchased by the artist. 

Application Requirements

• Resume or CV
• 8 examples of the artist’s previous mural work from within the last 5 years; must include at least two projects, may include close ups or views of the project from multiple angles
• 2 professional references
• Statement of interest about the project
• Written description of the artist’s proposed mural, which should reference the theme of Past and Present Performance

Eligibility Criteria

Artists will be reviewed by a panel of community jurors, with final selections being made by a core team of patrons, building owners, and project leaders. The following criteria will be considered: 

• Artist’s proximity to Winchester, VA
• Past murals must show a high level of quality and execution
• Artists that respond to the distinctive characteristics of the site, its history, and the surrounding community
• Adherence to and interpretation of the theme
• Artists should be able to communicate and coordinate successfully as a member of an overall project team
• Artist must be able to complete the mural between August 1 and November 15