Mural in The Trailhead

Artist Info Sessions:

• On Zoom-Tuesday, June 18, 7:00-8:00pm
• In person at the Trailhead- Thursday, June 27, 7:00-8:00pm

Questions? Email Peter:  art@loppet.org

Overview

The Loppet Foundation is seeking a mural artist/artist team from Minnesota to create a new mural inside The Trailhead building located in Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis. The location for the mural spans the majority of the main hall of The Trailhead and we are excited for it to be a beautiful artwork that serves to inspire everyone who uses and visits the Trailhead!

There is one $13,500 commission available for an interior mural- roughly 450 sq/ft, that includes design, community engagement, materials and installation. The selected artist will design the mural in collaboration with Loppet Foundation staff and include community in the design and creation of the mural.

Project Details and Parameters

• Open to individual artists or a team of artists- we recommend teams of no more than 3 artists, commission amount is the same for individual or team.
• Artists/teams are required to have previous experience completing collaborative murals in public spaces.
• Artists/teams need to demonstrate experience with and be prepared to design and create mural with Loppet and community input.
• Artists/teams are required to include community engagement as part of their design process and in mural painting/installation. Loppet can help connect you to community and Loppet Trailhead events.
• Area available for mural is a roughly 70’ long wall (total paintable area is about 450 sq ft) and includes various sections of that wall- not a big rectangle. See illustration below for reference and details.
• Design of mural may or may not cover all of the available wall space, but will touch some portion of all of it and may extend outside of the rectilinear borders.
• Finished design should broadly touch on themes of community, connection, nature, stories, healing, belonging, joy, love. We are open to the many ways an artist could interpret these ideas.
• Project budget of $13,500 is all inclusive and will cover artist time, design, community engagement, materials, installation and any other expenses.
• Wall will be prepped by Loppet Foundation later in summer before artist begins painting.
• Art must last a minimum of 10 years – and we hope to have mural rotate every 5-7 years.
• We are especially interested in supporting projects led or created by artists or artist teams who identify as Black, Indigenous, POC, LGBTQIA+.

Eligibility

• Individual mural artists/artist teams who live anywhere in Minnesota. All artists on the team must meet all eligibility requirements.
• Ability to meet key dates as listed in the timeline below.
• Artists/teams are required to have previous mural experience that includes community engagement and will need to demonstrate ability to complete a large project.

Note on artist teams: By artist team we mean up to 3 artists working together on the artistic aspects of the commission.

Project Timeline:

• Call for Artists opens: June 6, 2024
• Zoom Info Session (Register Here): June 18, 2024, 7:00-8:00pm
• In person info session at the Trailhead: June 27, 2024, 7:00 – 8:00pm
• Application due: July 15, 2024, 11:59pm
• Artists notified: July 26, 2024
  Selected artist begins design and community engagement process
• Final design completed and approved: No later than September 15, 2024
• Mural completed by early October, 2024
  Public celebration in mid October

About The Trailhead

In 2018, Loppet opened “The Trailhead”, a 14,000 sq ft facility surrounded by these natural features. The Trailhead is a unique public-private partnership that provides a hub to expand and diversify Wirth Park’s user base and promote community and environmental health. The Trailhead hosts multiple types of events including community events, weddings, proms, field trips and running/ski races as well as offering a cafe and space that is open to the public seven days a week. Community members come to socialize, work, enjoy a meal, workout, rent skis or bikes and hang out pre or post outdoor adventures. The location for the mural spans the majority of the main hall of The Trailhead and our intention is for it to be a beautiful artwork that serves to inspire everyone who uses and visits the Trailhead.