Mural Artist – Call for Proposals

Opportunity: Contract Mural Artist

Close Date: March 30, 2026.

Project Description:

The Advocates seeks artists to design and paint murals on our new community client services center located at 201 S. River Street, Hailey, Idaho. Artists will be selected to complete up to seven murals on feature walls of a high-profile project with thousands of visitors annually. 

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW:

Mission 

The Advocates promotes healthy relationships and offers safety, healing and resources to people impacted by abuse. 

Vision 

The Advocates envisions a compassionate community, free from emotional and physical abuse.

A Place to Heal & Thrive in the Heart of Community 

For survivors of abuse, the need for community support is critical.  Abuse isolates, erodes trust, and leaves survivors facing enormous challenges as they work to rebuild their safety and sense of support. The Advocates strives to surround survivors with a network of safety – advocacy and support, emergency shelter, legal assistance, transitional housing, affordable child care and programs to build confidence, personal resources and emotional healing. The Thrive Center for Safety and Healing is a transformational community space where people come together to receive services and thrive. It is a space that offers an array of opportunities that empower people at every stage in their healing. Participants can move between programs depending on their needs. The Advocates also offers prevention and social change programs for young people and the community. Our programs engage people in healthy, productive ways to support their journey from surviving to thriving.  In order to do this well, our physical space exudes this ambitious vision. The Thrive Center for Safety & Healing includes private consultation and education rooms, meeting spaces, safe child spaces, a community gathering space and kitchen. It is located on our campus that includes a shelter, early learning center and 38 transitional housing apartments all of which are pet -friendly.

MURAL GOAL: Multiple exterior and interior murals will set the tone for the environment and experience we are striving to achieve at the Thrive Center for Safety & Healing. 

∙ Timeless and relevant for many years to come

∙ Convey community, resilience, joy, freedom, standing in one’s power, belonging, and thriving

∙ Multi-cultural appeal that reflects our community

∙ Multi-generational - appeals to all ages

ARTIST ELIGIBILITY: This call is open to artists who are ages 18 and older. Artists are encouraged to notify with  intent to participate as soon as possible via email to Tricia Swartling at tricia@theadvocatesorg.org. 

 SPECIFICATIONS: Original artwork is required and will have no logos or brands.

Three separate spaces on the exterior: 

1.      North and east facing corner wrap around wall above entrance, two panels 14’.6” x 9’.6”, 138 sq ft and 14’.6” x 14’.6”, 210 sq ft. Concept for this mural is the result/transformation of people helping people and must include children, and adults, elements of local nature and pets.

2.    South apartment wall with street view, 20’ x 37’, 735 sq ft including window cutouts.  

3.    West alley and street view wall, 20’ x 25’, 506 square footage including window cutouts.

Four separate spaces on the interior – floor plan with locations highlighted attached:

1.      Entry wall – 21’x 12’ 252 square feet, two stories – considering a giving tree theme can be three dimensional, mixed media, for example, paint, mosaic, branches made out of other materials

2.    Children’s play area, 9’ x 10’, 90 square feet – inspiring and fun for children

3.    Client waiting area wall, 9’ x 12’.6”, 113 sq feet – empowering, encouraging, uplifting

4.    Community Meeting Room wall, two sections one 13’.3” x 9’, 120 square feet, one with and

 outside and inside corner, sections are 3’, 2’.9”, and 21’ all 9’ tall, approximately 256 sq ft. This mural concept is community and the collaborative team vision: “In our community, diversity is celebrated and we all thrive. Everyone is valued, respected and lives in safety and peace.”  Mural might include images of community partners such as law enforcement, courts, schools, healthcare, other social services and the diversity of the community. 

TIMELINE:

∙ March 30, 2026 - Application deadline

∙ April 30, 2026 - Notification of finalists

∙ May 2026 - Facility and program in-person or virtual tours

∙ June 12, 2026 - First draft conceptual design due

∙ July 20, 2026 - Final draft submitted with revisions

 ∙ July – August 2026 – City of Hailey Design Review  

∙ September 2026 - Installation of murals begins

∙ September 30, 2026 - Murals complete

COMPENSATION:

Each artist will receive $25 -30 per square foot, depending on mural size. The Advocates will cover reasonable travel and lodging costs for out-of-town artists.

Payment timeline will be 25% in advance. Full payment will be delivered upon completion and final inspection of mural. 

To Apply

•   Name, contact information, and resume

 •  Artistic statement including your specific desire to be chosen for this project (max. 250 words). Project statement regarding your creative process and plans for research to strengthen the project, as well as approach to communication with fellow artists. (max. 250 words)

•    Up to 5 images of relevant past work; please submit jpegs; do not submit PDFs ∙ An information sheet for your images, including title, date, materials and dimensions for each work submitted

•    To ensure an anonymous jury process, do not include your name on any of your images Email the above requirements to Tricia Swartling at tricia@theadvocatesorg.org by March 30, 2026.