Call for Artist for Art Mural for New Rainier Valley Food Bank

Community

Jul 31

Rainier Valley Food Bank (RVFB) is seeking an artist or artist team to design and execute a large mural for the newly completed facility.

Project Background:

Rainier Valley Food Bank (RVFB) has a bold ambition to create a better future with food justice and equity at the center. Together, we’re creating South Seattle's community food hub, redefining the role food banks play in our community as a driver of change, implementing a holistic approach to building secure, healthy, and thriving communities through equitable access to nourishing, culturally celebratory food. We are in the home stretch of a capital campaign to renovate and expand our existing facility. With an innovative design, our new home, located at 9021 Rainier Ave. S, will allow us to grow our programs and integrate our services.

As we prepare to open our new facility in September 2025, we are seeking one muralist to complete a mural on the exterior of our new building. The mural will grace the exterior of our grocery store space, where individuals will shop for necessities for their families. The exterior mural will be featured on the side of the building that can be seen from the Rainier Ave storefront. We are seeking artists who can work within our timeline to vision, plan, and execute their projects within the vision we have for serving our community.

RVFB is seeking a local artist to design a unique and original mural composition for community-facing walls to recognize the vibrancy, joy, and abundance of the South Seattle community. This project may illuminate the diversity and history of our community and share aspirations for our collective future.

Selection Process: RVFB will be shortlisting approximately six artists, or artist teams, and will invite them to submit design proposals, compensating each with a $500 stipend. One artist, or artist team, will be selected from the submittals and will be contracted to complete the design process and execution of the mural on the RVFB building.

Design & Theme: RVFB is seeking designs that will be a vibrant celebration of our community, bringing together elements of local history, culture, food and agriculture, cooking, family, and/or themes that reference abundance and mutual aid and support.

Project Budget: Selected artist shall be paid up to Eighty Thousand Dollars ($80,000.00) compensation by contract. The project budget is all-inclusive and must include up to three (3) design concepts, design fees, commercial liability insurance, all costs, and materials for installation, including all labor and transportation. If artists propose hiring any subcontractors for part of the work and installation, it will be included in their budget and be the artist’s responsibility. Artists will be asked to submit a detailed budget for review by RVFB as part of the submittal process.

RVFB will provide a clean site prior to installation. RVFB shall provide for the artists to use a boom lift and/or scissors lift for no more than 30 consecutive days. Any additional days required by artists must be communicated in the artist proposal submission.

The project is inclusive of mural design, design, and specifications submittals, collaboration and feedback from RVFB, and complete execution of the painted mural on the selected surface, including graffiti coating.

Size of Mural: Approximate Exterior Wall Measurements are 30' Tall x 70’ Wide and are from the ground up at grade. The Square Footage = approximately 2,100 ft²

Criteria for Art:

Community Connection – Consideration will be given to individuals who live, work, or have other connections to South Seattle
Representation – Priority will be given to the mural artwork that represents a diverse range of lived experiences within the South Seattle community.
Timelessness – Mural will be viewed as a long-term acquisition that should have aesthetic relevance to the community in future years.
Site Compatibility & Appropriateness – Mural must be appropriate in scale, material form, and content for both the immediate and general, social, and physical environment in which the Mural will be placed.
Elements of Design – The Mural will serve to establish a significant focal point, define spaces, inspire community, conversation, and connections, and establish an identity, among other things.
Permanence & Safety – Consideration will be given to permanence, protection against vandalism, weathering, and excessive maintenance and repair costs.

Artist Criteria:

Collaboration– Ability to work closely and cooperatively with RVFB Staff
Experience - Knowledge and experience of public mural art.
Technical Feasibility - Ability of the Mural artist(s) to carry out the concepts described in the proposed Mural(s).
Timelines - Ability to deliver the mural art according to the agreed schedule.

Qualifications Submittal Application shall include:

Artist and/or Artist Team Contact: Provide complete and accurate contact information. We welcome collaborative applications from teams of artists as well as individuals.
Project Statement: Project statement describing your approach and intention for the Mural. (suggested: 300 words)
Portfolio of Past Work: Artists must submit digital images from their portfolio that visually represent and relay their body of work and experience.
1. Include 5 to 10 digital images from your portfolio of past work.
References: Provide three recent references for your mural projects.

Timeline for Invitational

Call for Artists: July 28- Aug 27: Invitational issued with Aug 27 due date for Qualifications Submittal from artists.
Shortlist of Finalist Artists: August 28 – September 12. Artist(s) selected (up to 6). RVFB will select up to 6 artists with a $500 stipend for their concept designs and budget submittal.
Artist Finalist submittal and interviews: September 15 – September 30: Artists create concept design packages with a presentation interview October 1 with an option for in person or online.
Selection of the artist, or artist teams and notification: October 3rd
Artist Contract: October 6 – 10 execution of contract.
Artwork painting and completion: October 13 - December 1: Execution of artist contract and artwork painted.

For Further Information