Niagara Gazette: NF Murals still looking for artists

DEADLINE: Sunday is cutoff for submissions.

Local artist Nate Reilly said the baby face was one of his favorites on the mural he’s painting. JAMES NEISS PHOTO

The Niagara Falls National Heritage Area is seeking four to six artists to paint murals on Main Street and Depot Avenue in Niagara Falls. The NF Murals Project on Main Street and Depot Avenue is entering its third and final mural-making phase following completion of 16 murals to date since 2019. Murals feature stories of freedom and champions of change in the Highland Community of Niagara Falls.

In the Highland Community, many people are the most recent in a long line of Black residents whose presence in Niagara Falls made it one of the most important places of courage and resistance to oppression in the U.S. from the time of the Underground Railroad to today. These stories of heroism are documented and told at the adjacent Underground Railroad Heritage Center. The NF Murals Project continues to share these stories and others as it relates to the theme of freedom, and specifically what freedom means to the residents of Niagara Falls.

“The Niagara Falls National Heritage Area is at the forefront of participatory public art initiatives here in our city; projects that beautify and invigorate our public spaces, revitalize our local economy, and give our citizenry a sense of pride and place,” said Saladin Allah, project coordinator for the NF Murals project.

Project Specifications —Any artist residing in Western New York or Southern Ontario is eligible to submit their qualifications for consideration. Experience with public art and/or large murals is preferred but not required. Upon selection, artists will be given a stipend for the project and all necessary materials will be provided by the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area. Artists may specify materials needed for their work. Each mural may range in size and will be executed on a prepped and primed concrete wall surface along Main Street and Depot Avenue.

Artist Responsibilities —Each selected artist will design and complete a mural which is responsive to community input. Artists will work with the project team to develop the concept of the mural and may be asked to participate in public programming around the mural-making process.

Timeline — To be considered, artists are required to complete an application and submit all necessary materials by Sunday, August 15, 2021. Qualifications will be reviewed by the selection committee and applicants will be notified by September 3, 2021. Selected artists will be required to schedule and complete their mural between September 15 – October 31.

Submission Requirements — Artists must submit their materials and answer the application questions via Google Form. For any issues with using the Google Form, applicants may contact Ally Spongr, ally@discoverniagara.org. More information on the current murals can be found on our NF Murals website, nfmurals.org.