Mural Arts Philadelphia is recruiting artists for several signature mural projects that will mark key gateways into and paths through the city, planned for completion in time for the 2026 semi-quincentennial (May-October, 2026). These works are intended to serve as signature public landmarks – bold, resonant, civic-scale artworks that not only shape people’s experience of travelling through the city, but also offer a reflection on the city and the nation in this important year in its history. Some of the projects will be permanent, legacies for years to come, and others will be temporary, reflections of this moment.

We are recruiting artists for several opportunities, described below. At the moment, we are looking for artist expressions of interest; we will use these lists to select artists for specific opportunities as they are finalized. The project types and artists needed are as follows:

1. Landmarks (design artist, lead artist): These opportunities will be at highly visible locations on public infrastructure or private buildings. Applicants must be highly experienced at designing and/or installing large-scale murals; applicants for lead artist must have experience working on lifts and/or swing stages for technically challenging projects.
2. Gateways (design artist, lead artist): These opportunities will be at busy locations, such as walls along major streets, at high-traffic intersections, highway entrances/exits, and underpasses. Some walls will be suitable for narrative, representational murals, others will be suitable for abstract color murals. Applicants must be experienced in designing and leading the installation of major murals. We will accept portfolios for representational projects and abstract color projects.
3. Colorways (design artist, lead artist). These opportunities will activate highway infrastructure, brighten vacant storefronts and create visual continuity throughout the city. They will range from murals on infrastructure walls to installations on vacant storefronts and construction walls. Opportunities will include both paint-to-wall and vinyl applications printed from digital files.
4. Portraits of Philadelphia (design artist). This project will be a celebration of the city’s residents, as well as the diversity of visual artist practices, through portraiture. We are seeking artists who can submit portraits for inclusion in a larger project – portraits of Philadelphians of the artist’s own choosing, represented in the artist’s own artistic voice. The portraits will be reproduced as temporary banners or vinyl installations, and will be installed in locations yet to be determined. Applicants are required to submit a portfolio that demonstrates a strong portraiture practice.

Mural budgets will be commensurate to the scale and complexity of each opportunity. Artist fees will be commensurate with the artist’s role in the project, primarily design and installation. Mural Arts will arrange for permissions and provide production support.