$250,000 project would pay artists to paint murals in 8 Sacramento neighborhoods
A new, proposed mural program for Sacramento would have local artists lead community efforts to paint eight murals — one in each City Council district.
The pilot program, separate from the popular annual Wide Open Walls festival, is called “Community Murals Sacramento.” If approved, it could get underway next month.
“Through a diverse selection panel process, each District will receive one or two community murals (depending on size and location). Projects are to be completed within one year of the artist receiving their city contract,” a report prepared by project manager Donald Gensler explains. “Each project must include a minimum of 3 community engagement events including at least one planned community paint day.”
Gensler, who’s on the Art in Public Places staff within the city’s Office of Arts and Culture, will recommend approval of the project at a City Council commission meeting next Monday.
The proposed program would dedicate a budget of $250,000 toward contracts for eight lead artists, 24 assistant artists and two program managers, as well as covering the cost of materials, according to the staff report. Lead artists would be paid an $8,000 fee, while assistant artists would earn $20 per hour for up to 150 hours.
The preliminary timeline would see an online application window open in January and close in March, with the lead artist contracts awarded in April. Painting would begin in July, wrap up in August and there would be special dedication ceremonies at each site in September.
“Community Murals Sacramento allows artists and communities to work together to directly make art that reflects the identity of a neighborhood and engages residents as part of the creative process,” Gensler wrote. “It also creates a mentoring structure where experienced muralists teach assistant muralists who are hired to work with the lead artists throughout the mural project.”
