Open Call for Interior Mural Proposals
The Elisabeth C. Miller Library, part of the UW Botanic Gardens and located at the Center for Urban Horticulture on the traditional home of the Coast Salish people, seeks to commission a local artist to install a mural in its community program room. This space is visible to and accessible by the public and is available for free for use for events, horticultural classes, and as a gathering space for plant-related community groups. The proposed 120 ft2-mural will occupy the main wall of this space and will be visible throughout the library. The artist selected through this process will receive $5,000 for this commission.
The theme for the proposed mural is “Growing Community.” We invite artists to explore this theme creatively and propose murals appropriate for a community space in a gardening library.
The space dedicated for this mural is approximately 15ft wide x 8ft tall. Murals must be 2-dimensional. If using panels or other mounting materials, they must be no thicker than 1 inch. Artists who wish to view the space are encouraged to do so. Please contact Nick Williams, Committee Chair, at nickjpw@uw.edu.
The mural is intended to be a permanent installation in the Miller Library. The artist’s name and artist statement will be displayed alongside the mural and will be promoted through the library’s newsletters, website, and social media.
The Submission and Selection Process
- Submissions must be received by 11:59pm on Tuesday, April 30th. Submissions can be either digital or physical. Digital submissions should be emailed to hortlib@uw.edu. Mail physical submissions to: Elisabeth C. Miller Library, UW Box 354115, Seattle, WA 98195
- Each submission must include:
- The artist’s name and contact information (phone, email, and address)
- A conceptual sketch of the proposed mural that conveys the artist’s vision
- A title and artist statement (maximum of 150 words) for the proposed mural
- Examples of previous work of a similar type and scale
- 2 references
- The Library’s Artist Selection Committee will carefully consider each submission and will choose the finalists.
- The Miller Library will conduct public voting to help determine which finalist is selected. Voting will take place during May, both in-person at the Miller Library and online at millerlibrary.org. For each finalist, the conceptual sketch, title, artist statement, and name of the artist will be shared during voting.
- The chosen artist will be notified by the end of May. The Miller Library will coordinate with the chosen artist to determine a timeline for completion of the mural by September 2024. The artist is expected to supply their own paints and painting supplies.
The Miller Library is a community-supported organization dedicated to serving its community by providing access to horticultural information and space for the community to gather around a shared love of plants. With major support from the Pendleton and Elisabeth Carey Miller Charitable Foundation, the Miller Library has the most extensive horticulture collection in the Pacific Northwest. The Miller Library has showcased work by local artists for over 15 years through regular exhibitions. No affiliation with the UW is required to use the library or check out books.
Questions? Please reach out to Nick Williams, Committee Chair, at nickjpw@uw.edu.
This project is made possible in partnership with the Arboretum Foundation and through the generous support of the West Seattle Garden Tour.