Call for Artists: “The City of Good Energy” Mural to Welcome Visitors to Downtown Batavia

BATAVIA, IL – The Batavia Public Art Initiative (BPAI), a subcommittee of Water Street Studios, is seeking qualified artists to submit their portfolios for a vibrant new mural project titled “The City of Good Energy.” This mural will serve as a creative and colorful gateway into Batavia’s thriving downtown and celebrate the community’s spirit of inclusion, energy, and civic pride.

This call for Request for Qualifications (RFQ) invites artists to submit samples of their work that best showcase their artistic style and experience creating dynamic, community-based public art. The selected artists will have the opportunity to contribute to a prominent visual landmark along one of Batavia’s most highly trafficked corridors.

About the Project

“The City of Good Energy” will be a large-scale mural painted in a community-friendly, 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. This location is at the corner of South River and Wilson Street and serves as a visual gateway into downtown Batavia.

The mural 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.

Compensation

Up to five artists will be selected and each commissioned to develop a concept design, with a $250 stipend per artist. The final selected design will receive an additional $1,000 upon finalization. The mural itself will be executed by a team of local volunteers under the supervision of an experienced project manager. Artists will only be responsible for the design phase.

Key Dates

• Submission opens: Sunday, June 1, 2025
• Submission Deadline: Friday, June 20, 2025
• Notification of Selected Artists: Tuesday, July 1, 2025
• Design Submission Due: Wednesday, July 25, 2025
• Final Design Selection Announcement: Friday, August 1, 2025
• Revisions Due (if necessary): Sunday, August 10, 2025

How to Apply
Artists should submit the following:

• Contact information
• 3–6 images of past artwork
• (Optional) A brief concept description or sketch for the mural

Submissions will be reviewed by the BPAI committee. Artists from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. BPAI and Water Street Studios are committed to diversity and inclusion in public art and celebrate a wide spectrum of creative voices.

About the Batavia Public Art Initiative
The Batavia Public Art Initiative, a program of Water Street Studios, is dedicated to enhancing public spaces through transformative art installations that inspire connection, dialogue, and pride in place.

For more information or to apply, visit:  waterstreetstudios.org/public-art.
For questions, email: publicart@waterstreetstudios.org.