Artists Sought For New Mural Planned In Downtown Batavia

BATAVIA, IL — Batavia plans to welcome visitors to the downtown area with a mural highlighting "The City of Good Energy," and staff are seeking artists to commission for the new project.

The Batavia Public Art Initiative, a subcommittee of Water Street Studios, is looking for qualified artists to submit their portfolios for the mural, which is intended to serve as a "creative and colorful gateway into Batavia's thriving downtown" while also celebrating "the community's spirit of inclusion, energy, and civic pride," officials said this week.

The mural will be painted in a paint-by-number format on a 24-foot-by-20-foot cinderblock wall at 18 E. Wilson St., the south-facing wall of the building currently housing The Comedy Vault.

Officials said the artwork's design should incorporate the phrases "The City of Good Energy" and "Batavia, IL" and reflect the city's personality: family-oriented, outdoorsy, pet-friendly, progressive, and energized by strong volunteerism and civic pride.

The mural will be painted by a team of local volunteers under the supervision of an experienced project manager. Artists will only be responsible for the design phase.

Artists should submit three to six images of their work that best showcase their artistic style and experience creating dynamic, community-based public art, organizers said. A brief concept description or sketch for the mural is optional.

Up to five artists will be selected, and each will be commissioned with a $250 stipend to develop a concept design. The selected design will receive an additional $1,000 upon finalization.

Here's a look at the project's key dates:

• Submission opens: June 1
• Submission deadline: June 20
• Notification of selected artists: July 1
• Design submission due: July 25
• Final design selection announcement: Aug. 1
• Revisions due (if necessary): Aug. 10