RFQ: Olney Transportation Center

1. Introduction

Mural Arts Philadelphia, Olney Community Collaborative CDC, and SEPTA are seeking to commission a mural by a Philadelphia-based artist or artist collective on the 3,348 square foot awning of the Olney Transportation Center, located at 5689 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19141. The ideal candidate will have previous experience working on community-driven public art projects that highlight local residents' unique perspectives, histories, and goals. The artist will work with residents and youth to conceive the project's mural design and include neighbors in at least one community paint day. We encourage experienced muralists to apply, especially residents of the surrounding neighborhoods or those who have experience working within Logan, Olney, or Oak Lane communities. 

 

2. Background (full project description)

In partnership with SEPTA and Olney Community Collaborative CDC, the Special Projects Department at Mural Arts is seeking an artist or artist team to lead a nine-month community-building project that uplifts neighborhood voices in a permanent mural at Broad Street and Olney Avenue. Funded through the  Philadelphia Department of Commerce, the  3,348 square-foot mural will span across the awning of the Olney Transportation Center, highlighting the neighborhood’s unique histories and aspirations in new, beautiful, and inspiring permanent public artwork. A secondary location on the 600 square-foot wall of The Pretzel Factory, 5600 N Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19141, will allow the artist to extend their vision and create a visual hub at the Broad and Olney intersection. We seek artists with experience working with organizational partners and community members in both the mural's design and production phases. We encourage experienced muralists to apply, especially residents of the surrounding neighborhoods or those who have experience working within Logan, Olney, Fern Rock, or Oak Lane communities.

 

Throughout the fall, the artist(s) will host a series of community engagement sessions with students and residents to develop the key themes and/or narrative of the mural's design. The artist(s) will create a proposed design for review and feedback from organizational partners and neighborhood stakeholders. In Spring 2025, the approved mural will be painted on parachute cloth by the artist(s), and the artist will host at least one community paint day for stakeholders to participate in the mural's production. In the Spring/Summer of 2025, the artist will install the projects at the addresses noted above. The artist or artist team would be supported day to day by a Mural Arts project manager who will support the operational components of the project in both the development and production phases.
 

3. Scope of Work, Budget and Schedule

Scope of Work

The artist will be responsible for the following work:

• Attending project-related meetings and community input sessions
• Conducting independent research and developing a proposed mural design for review
• Incorporating stakeholder feedback into the project's final design
• Participating in any media associated with the project
• Painting of the approved mural, including at least one community paint day
• Attendance at the mural dedication event and participation in any media related to the project

Mural Arts will be responsible for: 

• Operational support for the overall project
• Project management, including contractual agreements, budgets, meeting schedules
• Public interpretation, including communications and public-facing outputs  
• Event production support, including paint days and public dedications 
• Liaison with partners SEPTA, Olney Community Collaborative CDC, and Commerce
• Archiving of project materials

 

Artist Fee and Budget

The total production budget is $93,000, inclusive of artist fees. One selected lead artist or artist team will be compensated $40,000 for their full participation in the project. This fee comprises all lead artist services associated with the project, including community engagement,production, and installation phases. The artist or collective will work directly with staff from Mural Arts to allocate the rest of the project funding, which will cover equipment and materials for the project, and assistant artists or third-party vendors to help install the approved artwork. In addition, Mural Arts provides administrative support in critical areas such as project management, communications, events, and photographic documentation.

4. Artist Selection Process

The Mural Arts Special Projects Department seeks artists with strong ties to Philadelphia's Olney, Oak Lane, and Logan neighborhoods. Septa, Olney Community Collaborative CDC, and the staff of Mural Arts will review applications and prior work samples. A short list of candidates will be invited to an interview, held virtually, with project stakeholders betweenOctober 14-18, 2024. All applicants will be notified of the committee's final decision by October 23, 2024.
 

Eligibility

The artistic team members should be based in the Philadelphia area and be available for in-person engagement from Fall 2024 through Summer 2025. 

Qualifications and Review Criteria

We are looking for the following:

• Inspiring portfolio of past large-scale mural projects
• Proven track record of uplifting diverse community stories and aspirations through artmaking
• Preferred experience with community engagement, ideally in Oak Lane, Olney, Fern Rock, Logan
• Experience working with organizational partners

The work of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance is made possible through the generous support of committed individuals and institutions.