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Great Art for Greater Bond
Through a South Arts grants and other sources of funding, the Greater Bond Neighborhood, the City of Tallahassee, and the Council on Culture & Arts (COCA) are partnering to initiate public art projects in the Bond neighborhood.
The deadline for application is May 31, 2022 at 11:59pm.
The first project will be a mural on the historic Speed’s Grocery.
Details for participating in this public art opportunity are below. Please read thoroughly.
Questions about the prospectus, the project, or other opportunities through COCA can be directed to Amanda Karioth Thompson at amanda@tallahasseearts.org.
Program Details
The Greater Bond neighborhood is a predominately African American community in Tallahassee and is affectionately referred to as the “heart and soul of Tallahassee’s Southside.” Bond is centrally located in the city’s urban core. Within walking distance of downtown and Cascades Park, the St. Mark’s Trail runs directly through the neighborhood which is nestled in the shadow of the historical Florida A&M University.
Since the 1940s, the community has been a bustling hub of activity due to the schools, churches, grocery stores, and other Black-owned and Black-serving businesses. Some of Tallahassee’s most influential activists and trailblazers have roots in the Bond neighborhood which now features streets, parks, and community centers that have been named after these individuals to commemorate their work.
In recent years, the neighborhood experienced some disinvestment, prompting Bond residents to create the Neighborhood First Plan. The plan consists of four priority areas of focus, including Community Beautification. Through a South Arts grants and other sources of funding, the Greater Bond Community Action Team, the City of Tallahassee, and the Council on Culture & Arts (COCA) are partnering to initiate public art projects in the neighborhood. The first project will be a mural on the historic Speed’s Grocery.
The Bond neighborhood is bounded by FAMU Way to the north; Orange Avenue to the south; Pasco Street, Wahnish Way, Perry Street, and Eugenia Street to the east; and Lake Bradford Road to the west.
In the ‘40s and ‘50s, the neighborhood was a bustling economic area dominated by restaurants, lounges, laundromats, grocery stores, and hair salons. Today, Speed’s Grocery, located at 801 Floral Street, is one of the few remaining businesses.
The store was not only where families bought groceries, it also served as a secret meeting place for Civil Rights leaders to organize non-violent protests and it’s where the Tallahassee bus boycotts were planned. In the decades that followed, the Speed’s store suffered from loitering and illegal sales but, with new owners, the store has been revived as a place for neighborhood commerce and pride.
• Artists 18 years of age or older who reside in the state of Florida, within a 50 mile radius of Tallahassee, are invited to submit a single proposal for consideration.
• Collaborative proposals of multiple artists working together are welcome. If submitting a group proposal, please designate a single artist to serve as the representative of the group.
• Artists must have successfully completed at least one mural project in a public space.
• Artwork must be original
Based on gathered public input, the Speed’s Grocery mural should convey the overarching theme of community. Proposed designs might include artistic representations of family, neighbors, school children, the rich history of the neighborhood and its intergenerational nature, as well as a vision of the neighborhood’s bright future. Colors should include green and orange with additional complementary accent colors providing an energetic and vibrant scheme.
• The mural will be painted on the east façade of the building, facing Saxon Street. Click here for Image 1, Image 2, Image 3
• The wall measures approximately 60 feet long by 15 feet tall.
• The mural will be painted directly onto the surface of the wall and the selected muralist will be required to apply a permanent (or non-sacrificial) anti-graffiti topcoat to their finished mural.
• All artworks will be located in areas used by the general public. Subject matter should be suitable for a viewing audience of all ages.
The mural must be executed using high quality, permanent materials, able to withstand Florida weather conditions, and not require substantial ongoing maintenance.
• Mural must be able to withstand touching by the unsupervised public and should have no rough textures or sharp edges.
• If your proposal is selected, you may be asked to revise or alter it in some way.
The selected artist will receive a total stipend of $5,000. This amount is intended to cover expenses related to the design and installation of the selected mural at the site and all other associated expenses including but not limited to: artists’ fees, materials (including non-sacrificial anti-graffiti topcoat), additional site preparation or modification, equipment rental, travel expenses, project documentation, unexpected expenses and any other associated costs.
A panel of volunteers will review the submitted proposals. The review panel may include Greater Bond community residents, the project manager, COCA staff, and others with knowledge of public outdoor art.
Proposals will be evaluated for for basic eligibility and adherence to the prospectus as well as quality of design and interpretation of the subject matter and themes outlined in the prospectus.
The review panel reserves the right to reject any or all of the proposals.
If your proposal is selected, you may be asked to revise or alter it in some way.
Submission of an entry form shall imply an agreement on the part of the artist to all conditions of this prospectus, including permission for reproduction of the artwork for public display, documentation, publicity and educational purposes. Work cannot be substituted once selected for this project. In submitting an entry form, applicants represent to us that they are the originators of the submitted works and that those works meet our criteria. We reserve the right to archive selected artworks on the COCA website indefinitely and to publish work in the future. The selected artist expressly reserves every right available under the Federal Copyright Act.
The selected artist will be required to sign an agreement that outlines expectations, scope of work, timeline, etc.
Please review these dates carefully and mark them on your calendar.
May 31, 2022 at 11:59pm
Deadline for application
*The project manager may request additional information from applicants prior to or after the submission deadline.
June 2022
Applications are reviewed and selections made by volunteer jury members
No later than June 30, 2022
Notifications emailed to artists
July 2022
Artist agreement fully executed and any design/installation revisions are finalized
August 2022
Mural installation commences
September 2022
Mural completed
*Dates are subject to change
Eligible artists may submit single proposal for the Speed’s Grocery Mural. Application materials must including biographical details and/or an artist statement, up to 3 images of at least one previous, successful mural project in a public space. Up to 3 images/drawings of proposed mural for Speed’s Grocery, including any sketches, digital illustrations, renderings, details or plans needed to adequately explain the proposed mural.
The project manager may request additional information from applicants prior to or after the submission deadline.
There is no application fee for this opportunity but please consider becoming a COCA member if you aren’t already. Learn more about COCA membership by clicking here.
Special Thanks
