StreetSpark seeks mural artists

Hamilton, Ohio – StreetSpark plans to close out its first decade with its 21st large-scale mural.

A call to artists for the 2025 incarnation of Hamilton’s premiere mural program opens Monday, December 2, with an application deadline of Sunday, January 5, 2025.

The next StreetSpark mural will fill a 24x75-foot wall (1,800 square feet) on the Hamilton Living Water Ministry building at 510 South 8th Street in Hamilton’s Jefferson neighborhood.

Hamilton Living Water Ministry seeks a welcoming mural to add beauty to the area and showcase its mission to make a positive impact on the lives of at-risk youth and families in Hamilton’s inner city.

The Jefferson neighborhood - also known as the Fourth Ward - was once a highly industrial neighborhood and an enclave for Italian immigrants. It now houses many bustling family-owned small businesses and is the city’s most ethnically diverse neighborhood.

“We love this opportunity to create public art that helps showcase a local non-profit that is working daily to create connection and opportunity for its nearby community,” said StreetSpark program manager Jennifer Acus-Smith. “Bringing beauty and inspiration to a space can go a long way to boost neighborhood pride.”

Interested artists must submit a Request For Qualifications to be reviewed by a selection committee of artists, visual art professionals, community members and program partners from within a 35-mile radius of Hamilton.

The committee will select three semifinalists the week of January 13, 2025 (and award each of them $500). Semifinalists then develop design proposals due February 12, 2025. The committee selects the winning applicant in early March and provides a stipend of $1,000. Additionally, the winning artist will receive payment to paint the mural in the summer with a team of supporting artists.

Artists must be at least 18 years old and should have experience in mural design, creation and team management. Acus-Smith encourages artists from all backgrounds to participate in the RFQ process.

Please visit fittoncenter.org/streetspark  for complete RFQ details. Contact Acus-Smith at streetsparkart@gmail.com with questions and inquiries

Originated in 2016 as a partnership between the Fitton Center for Creative Arts and the City of Hamilton, 2025 marks StreetSpark’s 10th year transforming public spaces through murals. Funding for the project comes from the City of Hamilton and the Ohio Arts Council.

Since its inception, Street Spark artists have designed and painted 20 murals and 17 utility boxes. The newest is 2024’s Tourism Series: Hamilton, designed and painted by Cincinnati- and Louisville-based art collective Often Seen Rarely Spoken. The 3,750-square-foot design along the Great Miami River across from Spooky Nook on the Dave Belew Trail is the second-largest in program history.

The Fitton Center for Creative Arts is located at 101 S. Monument Avenue on the Riverfront in downtown Hamilton, Ohio.

Building Community Excellence through the Arts and Culture