Artists sought for planned silo mural on South Side

Monday, June 3, 2019
By this fall, the silos at S&W Feed Center will be decorated with one of the state’s largest murals.
Courtesy photo

The Putnam County Mural Project is seeking applications from local, national and international artists to paint one of Indiana’s largest murals -- a canvas of up to 8,000 square feet. The project is slated to start in August, and applications are due by June 28. The mural will be painted on four grain silos on the northwest corner of Veterans Memorial Highway and U.S. 231 in Greencastle.

Once an artist is selected, the Putnam County community will be invited to vote between two artist renderings during First Friday on Aug. 2, which will determine the final artwork to be placed on the silos. Prepping the silo “canvases” will take place in August, and mural installation will begin and be complete by the end of September.

As part of the artist agreement - which includes a $22,500 stipend for the artist - the project will also host workshops and presentations for community members interested in learning about murals and their positive effect on neighborhoods.

“We are looking for qualified artists who have experience with medium - to large-scale mural projects,” said Chris Flegal, who leads the volunteer group promoting the Putnam County Mural Project. “But we’re also seeking an artist who has the ability to engage our community in thinking about how art and murals can help us celebrate our heritage, create civic pride and enrich our lives. We hope this particular mural is the start of something that expands to encompass the entire county.”

During the fall of 2018, the Putnam County Convention and Visitors Bureau formed a small committee of community stakeholders to develop a plan for public art in Putnam County. This project developed into a large-scale mural project, which is now known as the Putnam County Mural Project. The team is comprised of artists, arts administrators, nonprofit directors, fundraisers and marketers, and has received a major grant that is contingent on a monetary match from the community. That fundraising campaign will run June 14 to July 15.

Community voting for the types of mural styles the community prefers will continue until June 8 at various locations across the Putnam County.

For the full request for qualifications, interested artists can visit www.putnamcountymuralproject.org/apply. Questions can be directed to Alexandra Chamberlain at putnamcountymuralproject@gmail.com.

The Putnam County Mural Project seeks to enrich lives by engaging residents in participatory mural projects which activate spaces, build artistic capacity and celebrate the community. Committee members include Alexandra Chamberlain, Chris Flegal, Eric Freeman, J.D. Grove, Kate Knaul and Kristen Fuhs Wells. Learn more at www.putnamcountymuralproject.org or by following @putnamcountymuralproject on Facebook and Instagram.

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