Saint Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce announces a juried call for artists to design and install a mural commemorating Mill Creek Valley. Mill Creek Valley was a historic neighborhood in St. Louis in the corridor between 20th St. and Grand whose predominantly African American population was displaced in the 1950s for the sake of urban expansion.
The Mural or Installation will be displayed for two years on the campus of Saint Louis University, the historical entrance to Mill Creek Valley. See the overhead view of the site at Grand and Lindell.
Entry deadline is November 30, 2023. The artist’s award is $12,000, which must cover costs for materials, effort, transport, and installation.
SPECIFIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
- The mural or installation is freestanding and not attached to a wall, though may be anchored to the ground or earth setting in which it will sit.
- The mural or installation is made of materials that will not be harmful to the environment and able to withstand the elements for a minimum of two years.
- The mural or installation honors the residents and community that was Mill Creek Valley
- The mural or installation may make a statement about the effects of urban renewal on communities such as Mill Creek Valley.
- The mural or installation should express positive cultural and historical relevance to the Mill Creek Valley community.
ELIGIBILITY
• Open to artists 18 years of age and older.
EXHIBITION
- The mural or installation will be on exhibit outside near the fountain for a minimum of two years. The exhibition in this location may be extended. Since the exhibit is the property of the artist, upon completion of the exhibit, the artist is responsible for removal.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Size limits are flexible: This is expected to be a large mural to be seen from the cross streets.
- Artwork must be free standing. It may be attached to the ground or earth setting in which it will be set. The mural or installation will be made of materials that will not be harmful to the environment and able to withstand the elements for a minimum of two years.
- All jury-selected designs are subject to approval based on technical review by the facilities division at Saint Louis University.
OUR JURORS
Cathleen A. Fleck, Chair, Fine and Performing Arts Department, Saint Louis University. Cathleen A. Fleck received her Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University and is currently Chair of the Department of Fine and Performing Arts at Saint Louis University (Missouri, USA). She is a scholar and professor of art history who has published on topics related to art as a reflection of power and beliefs plus interactions and conflicts among multiple faith communities around the Mediterranean. As a twenty-year member of the St. Louis community, she is supportive of the local use of art and history to reveal and heal from systemic inequities.
David Suwalsky, S.J. serves as the Vice President for Mission and Identity at Saint Louis University. He earned a doctorate in American Studies and served as the university’s Director of Museums and Galleries from 2003-2008. His familiarity with Mill Creek Valley results from his work on the Memoirs of William Markoe, S.J., the long-time pastor of St. Elizabeth’s, the Mill Creek parish that was designated to serve African American Catholics of St. Louis.
Sandy Brooks, Founder/President Saint Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce She is the founder of the Saint Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce. Her background providing pediatric home care in the region along with her art practice and doctorate in education and public policy have combined to focus The Arts Chamber on Creative Placemaking, particularly in underserved areas of the region. Creative Placemaking is generally understood as the use of arts and culture by diverse partners to strategically shape the physical and social character of a place in order to spur economic development, promote enduring social change and improve the physical environment.
Lois Conley, Founder and President of The Griot Museum, grew up in St. Louis’ Millcreek Neighborhood, graduated from Vashon High School, and is a life-long member of Greater Mount Carmel Baptist Church. A graduate of Saint Louis University, Conley earned her bachelor’s degree in Communications and master’s degree in Education. She also earned a Graduate Certificate in Museum Studies from the University of Missouri-St. Louis as an E. Desmond Lee Scholar. She has dedicated many years toward researching African-American for history, with particular emphasis on the Underground Railroad and Westward Expansion. Conley was a consultant to the National Park Services study to document national underground railroad sites. In addition to curatorial work at The Griot, Lois was curator for the Vaughn Cultural Center for two years. She recently co-curated an exhibit at the 11th Biennial Conference of the Association for the Study of Worldwide African Diaspora (ASWAD) in Ghana, West Africa.
Damon Davis, artist. Damon Davis is an award-winning, post-disciplinary artist based in St. Louis, Missouri. He is co-director of the critically acclaimed documentary Whose Streets? chronically the 2014 Ferguson uprisings. Davis is known for his work designing the recently unveiled monument to Mill Creek Valley–Pillars of the Valley–in downtown St. Louis as part of the Brickline Greenway. His work has been nominated for the Peabody Award and is featured in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Davis is a Firelight Media, Sundance Labs, TED, and Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Fellow.
THE JURYING PROCESS
• The Jurors do not view any artworks submitted for this call until after the entry deadline.
• We strictly maintain a blind/anonymous jury process, meaning that at NO time before or during the jurying process are the Jurors shown the names of any entrants.
• Jurors are presented all entrants’ artworks in an anonymous digital image presentation online. The only information provided to them pertains specifically to the artwork and includes artwork title, media, dimensions, and method of display.
• From the jurying presentation and information provided about the artworks, the jurors make their selections for the mural design. Include information regarding the installation/securing process and materials. Also, propose what the artist wishes to do with the artwork at the end of the two-year period (removal themselves for installation elsewhere or removal/destruction by facilities)
• Artwork selection decisions are in part based on a set of specific jurying instructions and criteria relating to the specific exhibit as well as established conditions and rules of the Saint Louis University and Saint Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce.
• We respect artistic freedom & freedom of speech. All imagery, themes and concepts are considered. That said, we discourage imagery that includes hate speech, racism, anti-human rights, or anything that attacks or marginalizes any individual or people groups.
ABOUT SAINT LOUIS ARTS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
St Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce is a 501c3 organization incorporated in the state of Missouri. Our vision is to support the cultural artistic fabric of the community by working with residents to address needs through the creative use of skill and the skillful use of creativity. We blend arts and economics for a vibrant community.
ABOUT SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 14,000 students a rigorous, transformative education of the whole person. SLU’s service-focused mission is at the core of the University’s diverse community of scholars, which challenges and prepares students to make the world a better, more just place.
ABOUT THE GRIOT
Through compelling core exhibits, dynamic touring shows, educational and entertaining public programs, our mission is: “to create a community of lifelong learners who explore, experience and embrace the region’s rich and enduring African-American heritage.
TIMELINE
Program Plan and Timeline
November 30, 2023 Call for art closes and responses are submitted to jury composed of representatives from all partners and residents
December 15, 2023 Respondents notified of Jury decision
January 1, 2024 Preliminary designs and budget due to jury committee
January 15, 2024 Committee input re design to artists
February 1, 2024 Artists’ response to the committee input
March 1, 2024 Begin Installation
April 2024 Press release, social media push, notice of events for unveiling published in community newsletters. Preparation of community survey questions
May 2024 Unveiling of the mural and historical markers to media and community.
PUBLICITY
• Saint Louis Arts Chamber reserves the right to photograph all exhibited works for web use and publicity purposes. Saint Louis Arts Chamber reserves the right to use digital images submitted for jurying for publicity of exhibition including but not limited to email, web use and social media.
• In addition to sharing your featured artwork from our exhibit on our website, press releases, and social media, including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
LEGAL
Any designs submitted and installations remain the property of the artist(s). Artist(s) represents, warrants and covenants that artist(s) is/are not infringing on any proprietary right, copyright, patent right or any other right of any third party, and artist will indemnify St Louis Arts Chamber of Commerce and St. Louis University and their agents, employees, affiliates, licensors, and business partners harmless from and against any and all costs, damages, liabilities, and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in relation to, arising from, or for the purpose of avoiding, any claim or demand from a third party that the submission, ownership, display, sale or the presentation of your artworks violate any applicable law or regulation, or the rights of any third party. This is legal & binding.