The Albany Museum of Art is excited to announce its Downtown Mural Project. An artist or team of artists will be selected to create an original, expansive mural that will temporarily cover a large portion of two exterior walls of the museum’s future home in downtown Albany.

Albany Museum of Art Executive Director Andrew Wulf said the mural, which will be on two walls that are perpendicular to one another, serves two purposes: enhancing the appearance of the AMA’s future home, and raising awareness about the museum’s relocation.

“At nearly 4,000 total square feet, this will be an impressive work of art that will also beautify downtown, creating another point of interest for residents and visitors,” Albany Museum of Art Executive Director Andrew J. Wulf, Ph.D., said. “It also shall serve as a symbol of the AMA’s commitment to the future home of the museum.”

A panel of jurors will select the artist or team by mid-December, and the project is scheduled to be completed by March 12, 2022.

The area for the mural is 3,835 square feet of cinderblock on west and north walls that were exposed when the former dance studio adjacent to the building at 128 and 146 West Broad Avenue was demolished. The mural will remain in place until construction occurs in the mural area. AMA officials plan to create an outdoor sculpture garden in the now open space formerly occupied by the dance studio.

“Artists across the country are invited to submit proposals for the design of this massive mural,” Wulf said. “The artwork must reflect the AMA’s mission of bringing the art of the world to the South, and the art of the South to the world. Our selection committee also will take into consideration the artist’s body of work and how it demonstrates the artist’s excellence, innovation and originality.”

The deadline for a muralist or team to submit a design proposal and other required documentation is noon on Friday, Dec 3, 2021. A panel of judges will review the designs, and the selected artist(s) will be notified by Friday, Dec 17, 2021. Submissions of proposed designs should be emailed to [email protected].

A $5,000 fee will be paid to the artist(s) whose design is selected. That fee includes the artist fee, installation, and material costs. Artists from outside the South Georgia area should note that the AMA does not offer travel arrangements or accommodation reimbursement beyond this artist fee.

Details about the project may be found at www.albanymuseum.com/mural-project.  A PDF with the project details and images of the mural area may also be downloaded from that webpage.

The mural project plan has been approved by the Albany-Dougherty Historic Preservation Commission.

The future home of the Albany Museum of Art is a former Belk department store that will provide 53,000 square feet of space, more than double the 25,000 square feet of space at the AMA’s current location of 311 Meadowlark Drive. The property was donated to the AMA in 2019 by the Robert N. Brooks Sr. family.

Work at the future home has been ongoing. A Brownfield Cleanup Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency enabled the AMA to clean up contaminants in the soil at the site, an action that would have been required for any use of the building.

“The cleanup contributes greatly to the overall health of our community by removing toxic materials that could have seeped into groundwater, our most precious natural resource,” Wulf said. “As vital as that work was, it was progress that could not be seen by the general public. The most visible change at the site was the demolition of the former dance studio earlier this year.

“When we looked at the site following that project, we asked ourselves what we could do to enhance our future home as the process continues. We felt an expansive work of art was a marvelous way to generate beauty and excitement, while reminding the community of our commitment in a big way.”