Wheeling Heritage is asking artists to share their vision of Wheeling for a mural project. The artist who is selected will bring that idea to life at Kossuth Park, the small greenspace at the intersection of W.Va. 2 and Interstate 70 in downtown Wheeling.
Local, regional and national artists can apply. The mural should evoke a sense of community and celebrate Wheeling. The mural will be 20 feet wide and 10 feet tall, and the scale of the piece should be designed for both vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
“The City of Wheeling is striving to enhance our gateways into the city through the creation of a lasting and positive first impression for residents and visitors. We feel that our partnership with Wheeling Heritage on Kossuth Park will form a welcoming impression,” commented Jesse Mestrovic, the city’s director of parks and strategic planning,
The selection of the project will be a two-step process. First, a committee from Wheeling Heritage and will select up to four projects. Then, those four projects will be featured on Wheeling Heritage’s website, where the community will vote for their favorite. The design that receives the most votes will be selected for the mural.
“This public art will serve as a unique way to tell Wheeling’s story,” said Alex Weld, project and outreach manager at Wheeling Heritage. “Instead of our organization making the decision for what should be on this mural, we wanted the community to make that choice. This project gives them the ability to have a say on how people are welcomed to their community.”
Not only will community members vote on the mural, but they will also have the chance to participate in its creation. The project will have a community involvement aspect, such as a paint-by-numbers section or designated section to be painted by the community, as decided upon by the artist.
The project is not to exceed $4,500 for an artist or team of collaborative artists. This budget includes the artist(s) fee, supplies, travel-related expenses, all preparation and installation costs, and a required protective coating.
The timeline for the project is as follows:
- Application deadline, Dec. 14
- Selection of four artists, Dec. 17
- Community voting: through January
- Artist selection: Feb. 1
- Artwork completion deadline: April 1
To learn more about the project or to apply, visit wheelingheritage.org or call 304-2323087.