Downtown Milwaukee’s Riverwalk is an epicenter for pedestrian and waterway traffic, not to mention a passageway for waterfowl and fish. Milwaukee Downtown BID #21 and Milwaukee Riverwalk District are seeking artist proposals to highlight those themes in four permanent mural installations
The Milwaukee Riverwalk Mural Collection 2024 will consist of a keystone mural at the Marcus Performing Arts Center and three other murals in various neighborhoods.
Milwaukee Downtown BID #21 Director of Public Space Initiatives Erica Green told WTMJ the mural at MPAC will be painted from the river itself — the west-facing wall of the Riverwalk there extends directly into the water.
“That mural in particular will focus on the convergence of our waterways and performing arts,” said Green.
The other three murals sites are located at the east-facing wall below the Knapp Street Bridge, the west-facing wall of the Juneau Street Bridge Tower and the east-facing wall of the Milwaukee Riverwalk at 740 North by 3L Living.
Each mural site has a different canvas size, the largest being the MPAC mural at 2,700 square feet. The Downtown Placemaking Task Force will review mural proposals and select a different artist for each site — artists are welcome to submit concepts for multiple locations or indicate that a concept could be modified for different locations.
Previous murals coordinated by the Downtown Placemaking Task Force include Westown in Bloom, Heart & Sol, Brighten the Passage and the Giannis mural.
“This project is meant to be reflective of [the river’s] natural beauty and of the unique neighborhood context in which each of these mural sites is,” said Green.
Proposal submissions are due by Aug. 2 and must include a concept, examples of previous work and a budget estimate. To view all submission requirements visit https://www.milwaukeedowntown.com/do-business/current-rfps.
The request for proposals is open to anyone, but Milwaukee Downtown BID #21 especially encourages local artists to apply.
Pedestrians and waterway travelers can expect to see the selected artists with paintbrush in hand this fall; mural installations are scheduled to begin mid-September and be complete by early October.
“Someone may just be taking their regular walk to lunch along the Riverwalk or out on a boat with friends…and be surprised and delighted to see this color and story being told by these formerly empty walls,” said Green.
