UrbanArts Commission
The seven Memphis artists with Willis Humphrey, a staff artist with MuralArts Philadelphia
Seven local artists have been selected by the UrbanArts Commission to create murals in each of the seven Memphis City Council districts.
The artists are participants in the Commission’s District Mural Training Program, which aims to help artists “expand their practice into the public art realm,” by providing them with training and professional development ahead of doing their murals.
Delivered by muralists at MuralArts Philadelphia, the largest public art program in the country, the training touches on budgeting, community engagement, and mural application. Once training is completed, each artist will begin their murals in the seven districts.
UrbanArts Commission
The artists work with Humphrey of MuralArts Philadelphia
The seven artists — Lawrence Matthews, Danielle Sierra, Carl Scott, Larry Walker, Lindsey Bailey, Joseph Boyd, and Darlene Newman — were selected from a pool of over 40 local applicants by a committee consisting of Memphis artists, past program participants, and community stakeholders. Each mural the seven artists will create has a budget of $30,000.
UrbanArts Commission
Mural by 2011 Mural Training Program participant Jason Miller
This will be the second group of artists to participate in the UrbanArt’s program. The first was started in 2011 and led to murals like the one of playing children, dancing couples, and a game of pool on the wall of the Gaisman Community Center. Now, the
second cohort is expected to complete their murals by September 2019.