findlay market parking garage mural open call

Beginning in 2021 and concluding in 2023, Hamilton County is currently constructing a new multi-story parking garage adjacent to the historic Findlay Market in the historic Over-The-Rhine (OTR) neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio. This 535-space public garage will include 15,000 square feet of retail space on the ground level that will be accessible to both Central Parkway to the west and Elder Street to the south. The perimeter façade aims to have the appearance of multiple buildings to provide scale to the overall building massing, while also relating to the surrounding neighborhood. Two of the south façade sections and two of the north façade sections will incorporate living walls. Additionally, as part of this planned development, the new garage will create dedicated space for a south-facing 4-story tall area, which is reserved for a unique and one-of-a-kind mural that will be designed by a professional artist and produced on-site by a team of ArtWorks Youth Apprentices under the guidance of local professional Teaching Artists.

his mural aims to serve as a representation of what we want our City to be by illustrating and interpreting the beautiful activity of the OTR neighborhood, and the Market space, which brings together people from all walks of life. The ultimate artistic outcome should welcome and uplift residents and visitors of Findlay Market, and the artwork should provide a “punch” of visual impact against the backdrop of the parking garage structure. Successful artwork will be colorful and vibrant, depict movement and dynamism, and show the depth and intersection of people and place in OTR and Findlay Market in Cincinnati, Ohio. Applicants should note that a more detailed creative brief will be issued to those who are invited to participate in Phase II - Request for Proposals (up to three artists/artist teams), which will further guide artists in understanding the full scope of artistic goals associated with this design opportunity.

Ultimately, the artist/artist team selected to create the final design will produce and deliver design files that will be executed by a team of professional Teaching Artists and Youth Apprentices employed by ArtWorks. In ArtWorks’ 26-year history, the local non-profit has employed over 4,000 Youth Apprentices and 3,500 Teaching Artists to create over 14,000 pieces of community and public art. Of those 14,000 pieces, approximately 240 of those are large-scale, permanent murals, like the mural that will be produced through this opportunity. To see examples and learn more about ArtWorks, please visit the ArtWorks website to view the portfolio of completed murals. The on-site production team will paint the mural over the course of 8 weeks beginning in June 2023 and concluding in August 2023.