HomeMy Public PortalAboutTOL PR 2013-06-19 Parking Garage Mural RFP
Town of Leesburg
News Release
For Immediate Release
Leesburg Commission on Public Art Solicits Artist Submissions
for Parking Garage Mural
Leesburg, VA (June 19, 2013) – The
Leesburg Commission on Public Art
has issued a Request for Proposals
(RFP), seeking an artist or artist team
to create a mural on the Loudoun
Street face of the Town Hall Parking
Garage (pictured at right). Deadline
for responses is July 11, 2013.
“I am eager to see the mural project
completed,” said Council Member
Kelly Burk. “As the first major public
art installation in Leesburg, the Parking Garage Mural will open the door for more art in the
community.”
The mural is intended to be a focal point for the downtown, reflecting the history, growth,
change, diversity and character of Leesburg. When the Town Council approved the mural
project in August 2012, they specified that no Town funds would be spent on the mural. The
Friends of Leesburg Public Arts, a non-profit organization, is in the process of raising funds for
the mural installation. Their goal is to raise $50,000.
“It’s no secret that the arts build community,” said Pamela Butler, president of the Friends of
Leesburg Public Arts. “A downtown mural has been a longtime vision for many arts and
community leaders. The Friends are looking forward to bringing this vision to completion. Once
a design is selected and approved by the Council, we will formally launch our fundraising
campaign with a series of artist receptions and a fundraising booth at the Leesburg Fine Art
Festival in September. In addition, we will be seeking grant funding from the Virginia
Commission for the Arts and other arts funding organizations.”
For more information about the Leesburg Fine Art Festival, please visit the event website at
www.paragonartevents.com/lee/ or the Friends of Leesburg Public Arts’ Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/LeesburgArts.
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TOL PR 2013-06-19 Parking Garage Mural RFP
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For more information about the Parking Garage Mural RFP, please visit
www.leesburgva.gov/bidboard. Interested artists are asked to submit letters of interest,
examples of previous public art work and expected budgets.
The Town issued a similar RFP earlier this year, but after reviewing the final submissions, the
Commission on Public Art recommended that the Town Council reissue the RFP with more
specific guidance to artists.
An evaluation team will select up to three semifinalists from the artist submissions. For the
final selection, each semifinalist will be asked to prepare a detailed design of the proposed
mural, for which they will receive a stipend. The Commission on Public Art anticipates selecting
a finalist and making a recommendation to the Town Council for final approval in September
2013.
Contact:
Jeanette Irby, Esq.
Town Attorney
jirby@leesburgva.gov
703-737-7175
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