Request for Proposals

<OPEN until 2:00PM 7/7/2023>

San Carlos Sister Cities Association - Omura, Japan Collaborative Mural

Sister Cities Alley - link to google map location

Download PDF of Project RFP

Project Background

San Carlos and Omura have been sister cities for over 10 years, fostering a strong relationship and promoting cultural understanding. The purpose of this installation is to develop greater awareness of our sister city relationship with Omura, Japan and to encourage a broader world view of humanity and our ever increasing relationships.  As part of our ongoing commitment to strengthen these ties, we are commissioning a mural that will serve as a visual representation of our shared values, heritage, and aspirations. The mural will be a prominent feature in San Carlos, embodying the spirit of collaboration and friendship.

Project Details

This project is a multi-organizational collaboration between the Cities of San Carlos and Omura, the San Carlos Sister City Association and the Community Foundation of San Carlos for the purposes of:

• Beautifying San Carlos downtown.

• Promoting greater awareness, cross-cultural understanding and collaboration. 

• Community building through installing art together.

• Celebrating diversity and cross-cultural collaboration.

The selected artist(s) will be responsible for designing and executing a mural that reflects the rich cultural heritage of both San Carlos and Omura. The City of Omura has offered the talents of a Japanese artist to collaborate with a local artist for this installation. The artwork should convey a sense of unity, diversity, and the shared aspirations of our communities. The mural will be installed in San Carlos, CA, adding vibrancy to the environment and fostering a sense of pride in both cities.

APPLICATION Guidelines + Required materials

• Submit application form

• Interested artists are invited to submit a proposal outlining their concept for the collaborative mural project.

• The proposal should include a detailed description of the artistic vision, concept, and intended message of the mural.

• Please provide sketches, illustrations, or any visual representations that will help convey your artistic approach.

• Rendering of the work, artist statement and mural description

• Artists are encouraged to explore themes such as cultural exchange, friendship, unity, and the natural beauty of both San Carlos and Omura.

• Include a portfolio of past work, highlighting any relevant mural or public art projects.

• Submissions should also include an estimated budget, timeline, and any technical requirements for the execution of the mural.

Eligibility and Selection Process

• This call for artists is open to both individual artists and artist teams.

• Artists from San Carlos and surrounding areas are welcome to apply.

• Artists of color and BIPOC, women, gay/lesbian/transgender/non-binary, and members of historically marginalized groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

• The selection process will involve a panel of representatives including local artists, community leaders, and city officials.

• The panel will review the proposals based on artistic merit, alignment with the project's objectives, and the ability to execute the mural within the given budget and timeline.

• Applying artists should:

  • be a practitioner in the visual arts with an original, self-conceptualized body of work, [generally recognized by critics and peers as possessing serious intent and ability]. 

  • have experience working with substantial budgets of $10,000 or more. 

  • have proven interest and passion for art and community projects. 

  • be able to present a body of work. 

  • open to working collaboratively with government staff, nonprofit leaders and community volunteers in a professional manner.

Compensation | budget

The selected artist(s) will be provided with a mutually agreed-upon compensation package, which will include all expenses related to the design and implementation of the mural. Additional details will be discussed with the selected artist(s) during the contracting process.

How to Apply

Please submit your proposal via email to art@sancarloscf.org. Include "Collaborative Mural Proposal - San Carlos and Omura" in the subject line. For larger files or physical submissions, please reach out to art@sancarloscf.org for alternative submission methods.

We look forward to receiving your creative proposals and witnessing the transformation of our cities through this collaborative mural project. If you have any questions or need further information, please don't hesitate to email us at art@sancarloscf.org or call (650)395-9987.