Public Art Mural Program
The Creative Economy Public Mural Program was made possible by the Long Beach Recovery Act, approved by the City Council on March 16, 2021.
Public Mural Program Design
This program is designed to enhance the local environment, promoting enjoyment and understanding of public art by inviting emerging artists to contribute to the City’s collection of neighborhood murals. This program provides funding for artists proposing mural installations at a public facility through one-time grant funding for design, installation, and ongoing maintenance that uplifts, highlights, and embraces the layers of history and culture of Long Beach.
- Eligible Applicants: To be eligible for this grant, artists must demonstrate a strong interest in creating public art, and be registered with the Arts Council for Long Beach (ACLB) Artist Registry. Strong preference will be given to Long Beach residents or those with a deep connection or commitment to Long Beach
- Award Amounts: Grants under this program will be awarded to support the design, creation and ongoing maintenance of a mural on an approved public facility in the City of Long Beach. This amount will include the muralists’ fee and all purchases toward mural materials (including primer, varnish, ladders, scissor lifts, scaffolding, exterior latex or acrylic paint, etc.)
- Project Selection: The program would like to see concepts that uplift, highlight, and celebrate the vibrant history of the City and propose murals in parks and on public facilities in areas that engage artists, communities, and neighborhoods in the City most heavily impacted by COVID-19. A list of currently- identified sites is currently available in the City’s Parks Mural Toolkit.
Artists will be invited to submit their ideas and qualifications which must include a description of the proposed mural, the proposed location, specific theme or subject matter, and work samples showing the artist’s style. Submissions will be considered by the City of Long Beach, the Arts Council for Long Beach, and community residents. The Arts Council for Long Beach will be available to help each artist with their project. Additionally, public murals will be selected based on visual impact, creativity, composition, demonstration of artistic merit, craftsmanship, and originality.
Application Process:
Phase 1 will open May 2, 2022 and close August 5, 2022.
Muralists may register on the Arts Council for Long Beach Artist Registry and indicate their interest in the Long Beach Recovery Act Public Mural Program. Artists must live, work, or actively create in Long Beach. Emerging artists as well as artists who have a deep commitment to the City are strongly encouraged to register. The Arts Council will also be posting a call for volunteers for the selection committee for this program.
As part of the City’s ongoing efforts to provide application assistance for Recovery-related programs, the City is also partnering with ArtsLB to offer free assistance to artists applying for grant programs. To learn more about how to receive free application assistance, artist can contract the ArtsLB at 562.435.2787 or email publicart@artslb.org. The following are the technical assistance workshops dates and times for the Public Mural Program:
Artist Registry: Muralist Technical Assistance Workshop
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
Time: 6 to 7 p.m.
Location: Virtual