abbey mural prize

Created in 1932 through an endowed bequest in honor of illustrator and muralist Edwin Austin Abbey NA, the Abbey Mural Prize awards grants to support the creation and restoration of public murals in the United States.

Through the Abbey Mural Fund, the National Academy has supported dozens of individuals and organizations across the United States who are building on a tradition of public murals as instruments of social activism, neighborhood revitalization, and community engagement.

The Abbey Mural Prize aims to broaden support and recognition of the vital role that murals play in making public space more open and accessible. Grants are awarded to create or restore public murals, especially those that promote accessibility, serve local audiences, and inspire community dialogue. While murals are conventionally defined as paintings or mosaics on a wall, the prize welcomes proposals that broaden the definition of what murals can be.