CALL FOR ART: Mural at Young Woods Elementary School at the B. Jae Clanton Complex

Summary

The City of Providence Department of Art Culture and Tourism (ACT), the Art in City Life Commission, and The Sgt. Cornel Young, Jr. & Charlotte Woods Elementary School at the B. Jae Clanton Complex (Young Woods) at 674 Prairie Ave. invite a muralist to create a “legacy mural” on the facade of the school in fall 2025.

The awarded finalist will be engaged in late September 2025 with contracting taking place in early October 2025 and the completion of the mural taking place in early November 2025. The total budget for this project is currently $14,000 with $1,500 reserved for semifinalist design commissions. The awarded finalist will receive $12,500 for artist fees and materials.

As of this call’s approval, the school community is actively fundraising to increase the size of the final mural. Any changes to this call’s scope will be communicated herein and via email to all respondents. The final dollar amount allocated to the call will be confirmed prior to the contracting of semifinalists.

Questions about this call to artists must be submitted in writing by July 1, 2025. Write to Micah Salkind, ACT Deputy Director at msalkind@providenceri.gov with the subject line “Mural at Young Woods.” An FAQ will be provided by July 8, 2025. 

Project Goals

Young Woods staff, students and families envision a legacy mural for their building that will:

• Inspire and educate students, staff, families, and community members.
• Honor Sgt. Cornel Young Jr., Charlotte Woods and B. Jae Clanton, school namesakes who fought for social and civil equity for the people of South Providence.
• Promote social justice and Civil Rights for all Black, Indigenous, and People of Color by foregrounding the school community’s history, pride, and culture.
• Serve as a bridge connecting the school community to its neighbors.

Site and Location

Young Woods is located at 674 Prairie Ave. Providence, RI. The mural will be painted without heavy equipment on two large walls facing the school’s playground and Prairie Ave. Their dimensions are 20’ x 7’ and 16’ x 7’ and the surface to be painted is approximately 252 square feet. In the image above, the painted surface will be up to the red line – the 1 and 2 indicate the two adjacent walls to be painted.

Project Budget

The total project budget for this installation is $14,000, inclusive of artist fees, design costs, materials, equipment, and installation. The awarded artist or artist team will receive a total of $12,500 to complete the project, inclusive of artist fees and materials. The artist may choose to allocate funds to supporting artists, assistants, interpreters, and/or to stipend community members in addition to the cost of doing business.

As of this call’s approval, the school community is actively fundraising to increase the size of the final mural. Any changes to this call’s scope will be communicated herein and via email to all respondents. The final dollar amount allocated to the call will be confirmed prior to the contracting of semifinalists.

The following breakdown serves as a guide:

Eligibility

• Lead applicants must be twenty-one (21) years or older and hold a current Rhode Island home or studio address to be eligible to apply. Providence residents, artists with previous lived experience in Providence, and PPSD graduates are preferred.
• This call is open to muralists and artist teams with a proven track record of creating works of similar scale.
• Awarded applicants must be able to submit a clean BCI.
• Awarded applicants must be able to procure a Certificate of Insurance (COI) for general liability in the amount of $1,000,000.00 that names the City of Providence as additionally insured.
• This call is open to muralists only.
• This call is open to individual artists or artist teams.
• Applicants must have demonstrated experience with a portfolio consisting of at least one outdoor mural.
• Preference will be given to artists who demonstrate cultural competency and previous experience working in intercultural modalities that foster innovation, diversity, and relevance with new and inter-generational audiences.
• Spanish speakers preferred.
• Applicants who have received an award from the Department of Art, Culture and Tourism for a permanent installation in the last two years are ineligible to apply.

Art Selection Method

Artists will be selected through a competitive, two-tiered process. Qualified artists may submit their Artist Statement, Resume/CV, a cover letter and three to five examples of relevant past projects by July 15, 2025. Applicants must apply online through the submission portal below (see “To Apply”).

Round One: Selecting Semifinalists

In late July 2025, The Art Selection Panel will review complete applications and score the submitted qualifications, limiting the selection pool to no more than three semifinalist artists or artist teams.

Round Two: Concept Design-Based Selection

The shortlisted semifinalists will then be provided with a detailed design brief and contracted to create a site-specific Concept Design in early August 2025 with a deadline for the final proposed design on September 8, 2025. For this method of selection, each finalist will be paid a $500 stipend to develop a rendering, a written project description, a description of materials and fabrication techniques, an outline of expectations regarding site preparation and infrastructure needs, a detailed budget and timeline, and a detailed installation plan.

Recommendation

The Art Selection Panel will recommend awarded finalist and alternate to the Art in City Life Commission for approval at the September 2025 regular meeting. The Department of Art, Culture and Tourism will announce the commissioned artist no later than October 2025 with the final installation taking place by early November 2025.

Art Selection Panel

The Art Selection Panel will be composed of three members including:

• Art in City Life Commissioner
• Young Woods Representative
• ACT Staff
• Artist
• Rollins Rec Director or Designee

Selection Criteria

Semifinalists will be selected based on the following criteria:

• Artistic excellence and innovation, as evidenced by previous work
• Ability to manage budgets and complete projects on time, as evidenced by previous work
• Interest and excitement in working with Young Woods students, teachers and staff to design and install the mural

Awarded finalist artist or artist team will be provided with a detailed design brief and selected based on the following criteria:

• Feasibility and strength of proposed budget and installation plan
• Quality of the artist’s design rendering
• Fidelity to school community’s vision, as evidenced by the design rendering
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate as evidenced by the installation plan

Artist Scope of Work

Upon award notification and acceptance, the artist shall sign a contract with the City for the activities outlined below:

• Collaborate closely with the school’s Legacy Mural Committee, which is charged with gathering input from community members and supporting artist in integrating their voices into the final design.
  • Note that the awarded artist’s contract will specify the number of meetings required of the artist, the acceptable manner in which design feedback will be made, and the allowable number of design changes that may take place before a final design is confirmed.
• Participate in regularly scheduled check-ins with staff from the Department of Art Culture and Tourism, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Install and execute the mural. The awarded artist must be available on weekends throughout the month of October 2025. Additional relevant details pertaining to content and execution include:
  • The mural must be realistic in style, with accurate and detailed representation of the key figures: Sgt. Cornel Young, Jr., Charlotte Woods, and B. Jae Clanton. It will incorporate elements that celebrate the legacy of each individual, emphasizing their contributions to social justice and community. The design should be age-appropriate, visually engaging for pre-k through 5th grade students, and reflect the school’s core values.
  • The mural will be painted on two adjacent brick walls with textured surfaces.
  • Artists must use appropriate painting techniques and materials for textured brick surfaces to ensure strong adhesion, long-term durability, and preserve the integrity of the mural’s realistic visual aesthetic.
  • Materials must be durable and weather-resistant. A protective coating is encouraged for preservation and ease of maintenance.
  • The artist is responsible for preparing the wall prior to painting (cleaning, priming, etc.)
  • All work must comply with safety regulations and be completed with minimal disruption to school operations.
• Participate in an unveiling and dedication ceremony with the community at a date TBD.
• Provide the City with a maintenance plan.
• Following the installation the artist is required to transfer the title for the mural to the City. The City will reserve the right to maintain, restore, and de-commission the work within the stipulations of the contract with the artist.

To Apply

Project Schedule