REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
A. SUMMARY
Springville Center for the Arts (SCA) invites artists to submit qualifications for the design and installation of a mural on the side of the Arcade Junction located at 320 Main St, Arcade, NY.
B. PROJECT GOALS
SCA’s mission is to build a greater culture of appreciation for the arts in our area. The selected artist must have strong community engagement skills and a desire to explore the unique qualities of the area. While the mural first and foremost should be an engaging piece of visual art, by virtue of its location it will be a symbol and gateway for the town for years to come.
C. PROPOSED SITE
Arcade Junction, 320 West Main Street, Arcade, New York
Arcade (pop. 1,900) is a small rural village in Wyoming County nestled at the crossroad of several state highways. While the historic downtown area has seen the kind of disinvestment common to many small towns, a growing energy can be found with antique shops and newer businesses. Arcade Junction boast the area’s most visible wall. It is located across from a large elementary school and near to a library and several civic organizations. The area’s main attraction, the Arcade & Attica Railroad, embarks on leisure journeys from the center of the town. The proposed site is the entry point to this series of historic buildings and economic center. The proposed site is the west side of the building from front edge to a break in the wall towards the rear. Spanning 98’ and mostly rectangular, the surface is 1,350 square feet of a contemporary rough brick. The site will be primed before the artist’s arrival. Given the rough surface of the brick, we anticipate a spray application of the mural but are open to other approaches.
D. BUDGET
A commission of $20,000 is available to the chosen artist. Housing will be provided free of cost to the artist for the duration of installation. Transportation costs, including local transportation must be included in the artist fee. Costs of materials, lift rental, etc, will be covered separately. Artists must use high-quality exterior paint or spray-paint approved by SCA. Please detail in your proposal what materials you expect to need.
E. TIMELINE & PROCESS
It is expected that the artist will first visit the area for several days to develop proposed ideas. The installation will occur over three weeks in late August / early September. The project must include community engagement activities and your experience with this should be outlined. SCA will communicate with the building owner and coordinate any permits and approvals needed.
Timeline
July 31: Applications close.
August 4: Selected artist notified.
August 15: Initial mural design due, discuss design.
August 30-September 19: Mural installation.
F. TO APPLY
Please email the following to ScaArtSubmissions@gmail.com:
• Letter of Interest (max 2 pages) – Please include:
Name, email address, phone number, and address of the artist.
A short bio for the artist.
Relevant prior work experience. Include info on community engagement.
Any connection to Western New York and a statement of what you want to achieve with this project in
Arcade.
• Design Information (Optional)
If you have a strong indication of how you would like to approach this piece or would like to communicate
who your work is evolving, you may include information.
• 5-8 Sample Artwork Images
Please show relevant work samples. Mural or large-scale works preferred. Include a link to any relevant
websites or social media.
Please assemble this in a single PDF. Application will close July 31st, 11:59pm.
Funding is provided by New York State Council on the Arts The Cultivating Havens for the Arts through Regional Murals (CHARM) program is a $1 million per year New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) initiative launched by Governor Hochul in 2025. It aimed to transform underutilized public spaces into vibrant public art, and completed in its first year 57 murals across more than 20 counties to boost civic pride and community engagement, and encourage tourism to mural sites.
