Alert:
Submit your artist application
The Paint It, Fairfax! Murals program is open to established professional artists living in the Mid-Atlantic region. Artists residing in the DC Metropolitan Area and particularly in Fairfax County are encouraged to apply. All applicants must be at least 18 years of age. If submitting as a team, a professional artist must be the lead team member.
All interested artists should review the program guidelines in the sections below and then complete a “Call for Artist” application in order to be included in program database. Artists will be notified whether their application has been selected.
In 2023, the Community Revitalization Section received Board approval and funding to establish a pilot mural program, entitled Paint it, Fairfax! This is the county’s first mural program and is limited to the Commercial Revitalization Districts and Areas (CRDs/CRAs). The purpose of the Paint it, Fairfax! program is to engage the community to showcase its unique assets and build vitality in the CRDs/CRAs through creative placemaking efforts.
Murals as a placemaking tool assist in shaping the physical and social character of an area. For purposes of this program, a mural is defined as a painting or work executed directly onto an exterior surface accessible to the public without a commercial message. The best murals can nurture the distinctive qualities of a community or place and can serve to celebrate community members or local establishments, while also being inviting to visitors.
Paint it, Fairfax! will inspire a commitment to public art that builds on Fairfax County’s Strategic Plan goal of fostering an equitable community through its support of community arts and culture. The goals of the program are to:
Review the program guidelines and application information below.
The purpose of the Paint It, Fairfax! murals program is to engage the community in the county’s Commercial Revitalization Districts and Areas (CRDs/CRAs) to showcase its unique assets and build vitality through creative placemaking efforts. A mural for the purpose of this program is defined as a painting or work executed directly onto an exterior surface accessible to the public without a commercial message.
The murals program leaders and stakeholders should use the following principles to guide their efforts.
To maximize the effectiveness and impact for revitalization a mural should:
Program funding and technical assistance is available to eligible mural projects located within a Fairfax County’s Commercial Revitalization Districts and Areas, which includes the following:
Maps of these areas can be found at www.fcrevite.org - select Districts & Areas from the topical headings and select the specific District or Area from the listing on the left-hand side for the map you are interested in.
The following list of external surfaces are eligible for placement of a mural. Note, permission of the property owner is a requisite before any art work can be commissioned.
The Community Revitalization Section (CRS) will establish and maintain a muralist database consisting of professionals that demonstrate they can develop and install a mural consistent with the Paint It, Fairfax! program guidelines. The database will be managed by CRS and stored on Fairfax County’s shared drive with approved access to those on the Site and Artist Selection Committee (SASC). The database will have a folder for each approved artist that includes the artist’s resume with references, statement of interest, portfolio, and any other material deemed relevant.
The CRS will initiate a “Call for Artists” process to form the pool of qualified muralists for potential projects in Fairfax County’s Commercial Revitalization Districts and Areas (CRDs/CRAs) (see Appendix I). These pre-screened qualified artists will be eligible to compete for Paint It, Fairfax! mural projects.
Artists chosen for the database will be notified by CRS staff and will be placed on a mailing list for alerts regarding upcoming mural projects in the County’s CRDs/CRAs.
Artist criteria for each “Call for Artists” will be established and approved by CRS. The requirements will be published with the “Call for Artists” request. Muralists will be asked to submit their portfolio, resume, and any other relevant body of work that illustrates the artist’s capabilities. The criteria may be modified yearly at the discretion of CRS. Preference will be given to local and regional artists. This pre-screening process helps ensure that candidates meet the program’s minimum qualifications. It is possible for muralists not chosen for the database to still compete for specific projects through the program’s “Call for Project Submissions" process (see Appendix II).
After the initial “Call for Artists” process, additional “Call for Artists” processes may be held periodically, as needed. Artists not chosen will receive an explanation and a chance to resubmit for the muralist database. The artist may resubmit during subsequent “Call for Artists” processes. Acceptance to the muralist database does not guarantee selection for a mural project.
The murals program periodic “Call for Artists” will be promoted through Fairfax County social media, ArtsFairfax social media, Workhouse Arts, news outlets, local universities, colleges, and through art-focused associations. It will also be posted on the Fairfax County DPMM website and on the CRS website.
The Paint It, Fairfax! mural program will use a Site and Artist Selection Committee (SASC) to assist in the process of identifying and selecting sites and artists for mural projects. The SASC will be charged with understanding the role of murals and the power art has on the public realm. The committee will be entrusted with guiding the selection of muralists for specific sites within the CRDs/CRAs and making a final recommendation to the Director of the Department of Planning and Development for approval and funding of specific mural projects.
The SASC will have seven members. The standing membership will be comprised of three people: the Paint it, Fairfax! murals program manager, a representative from ArtsFairfax, and the CRS Section Director. There will be four rotating slots that will be specific to each CRD or CRA. The rotating membership will be comprised of the property owner(s) or their representative, a representative from the corresponding Supervisor’s Office, the Revitalization Program Manager for that District, and a revitalization partner representative.
SASC Member Responsibilities:
Generally, a site or potential sites should first be identified before the artistic themes and artist are identified. The final site must be confirmed and permission granted by a property owner before an artwork is commissioned through this program. It is the responsibility of CRS to oversee site selection in collaboration with the SASC and communicate selection with internal and external stakeholders.
The committee should consider the following when analyzing potential sites:
The Mural program manager will work to identify property owners of any exterior surfaces nominated for a mural project. Property owners will be informed that they will have access to a committee slot and their role in selecting an artist and mural. Once the owner has agreed to permit a mural on their property’s designated exterior surface, they will need to sign a license agreement detailing their willingness to allow a mural to be located on their property and their concurrence with the associated terms and conditions of having a mural (see Appendix III for template license agreement).
The Site and Artist Selection Committee (SASC) will be the main body responsible for selecting the project artist to create a mural for a designated exterior surface. Once a site has been chosen, the SASC will be tasked with identifying the aesthetics and themes to be incorporated into the mural. The SASC will have access to the artist database to identify three potential artists that can fulfill their mural criteria. Once three artists have been identified, a “Call for Project Submissions” process will be prepared and reviewed by the SASC. The identified artists will receive the “Call for Project Submissions” scope of work and be asked to submit a presentation to the SASC.
Each of the three artists selected will be compensated $500 each for developing a pitch for submission. The SASC will meet to hear presentations by each artist. Afterward, the SASC will meet to discuss the presentations and to recommend an artist for the designated site. The artists will receive notification of selection. The selected artist must confirm their acceptance of the project and its terms and conditions by signing an agreement with Fairfax County government for the commissioned mural. (See Appendix IV for Sample Commissioned Artist Agreement).
To ensure that the mural is responsive to the community in which it is located, a robust community engagement process must be formulated and undertaken to involve and inform the community throughout the mural process. The engagement process will include identification of possible mural sites as well as mural themes. The community will be presented with different mural concepts by the recommended muralist and be able to interact with and hear from the muralist. The muralist will hold one or more in-person engagement sessions with the community to further refine the concept. The property owner should be part of these discussions.
Once a final design is selected, the community will be informed about the project timeline and opportunities to participate in the creation of the mural, if appropriate. Once the mural is completed, the community will be invited to celebrate its completion.
The Murals program manager will be responsible for the following:
The Paint It, Fairfax! murals program will maintain a strong presence with media partners and social media platforms. The program will share upcoming artist opportunities, special public art events, and activities. Retaining a healthy presence will allow artists and the public to connect with the murals and for the murals programs to establish itself as a valuable resource. Community engagement strategies may include:
The best view in Springfield just got a splash of color! Our new mural transforms The Springfield Commuter Garage’s Overlook Space into a vibrant urban park. Come find your favorite detail and see Springfield from a new perspective. The mural was installed by Kelsey Montague Art. This creative addition is only the beginning of future murals that will be coming to Springfield.