Texarkana Downtown Murals Theme Selection & Artist Call
Texarkana seeking community input on mural themes, with artist call opening after theme selection in November 2024.
The city of Texarkana, Texas is replacing iconic murals in downtown's Kress Gap location on Broad Street due to moisture damage that has caused the existing artwork to peel. The current murals have been a popular destination for public art and photo opportunities for over five years. The city is taking a community-driven approach to selecting the theme for the replacement murals, offering three options: regional legends and folklore, hidden wonders, or murals highlighting Texarkana's identity. Community voting is currently underway and ends on October 3rd. Once the theme is selected, the city will issue a public art call inviting artists to submit their designs and interpretations of the chosen theme. The wall surface is being restored to prevent future moisture issues that affected the previous murals. The original surface was an interior wall of the historic Kress building that wasn't designed for outdoor art exposure. City spokeswoman Brooke Stone indicated they aim to have new artwork installed by November to avoid leaving the space blank for an extended period. This represents a significant opportunity for artists to create public art in a high-visibility downtown location that attracts many visitors to the district.
Submission Guidelines
Artist call details will be announced after theme selection is complete. Artists will need to submit designs and interpretations of the community-chosen theme.
How to Apply
1. Step 1: Visit the Visit Texarkana District website to participate in theme voting (ends October 3rd)
2. Step 2: Monitor for the public art call announcement after theme selection
3. Step 3: Prepare design proposals based on the selected theme for submission when the call opens
Application & Contact
Contact: Visit Texarkana District website for voting information. City spokeswoman Brooke Stone mentioned for inquiries.
Source: https://www.ktbs.com/news/texarkana/texarkana-seeks-input-for-replacement-of-downtown-murals/article_e15a4586-e37e-4de9-a5c9-e3f2570aeb50.html