Mural Training Program
Community Mural Institute - in Morganton, NC

Thank you for your interest in this Training Program with the Community Mural Institute! The deadline to apply has been extended to March 15th. We are committed to providing as much information to you as we can, so the description of this opportunity is detailed.  ⬇️ Please take the time to read through it so that you know if this opportunity is right for you.

Info Session - Zoom Recording

Overview 

Through the spring, summer and fall of 2024, the Community Mural Institute (CMI) will combine online and classroom instruction, experiential learning, and professional mentorship for twelve artists, creating and installing three large outdoor murals in Morganton, NC, that are designed and painted in collaboration with Morganton communities using the GoodSpace Method, utilizing the indirect polytab mural technique.

There is increasing interest in murals as a means of creative place-keeping and particular interest in professional murals that involve the community in their creation. However, there are very few opportunities to learn how this is done. CMI is offering you this rare opportunity. 

About the Morganton CMI

This training program for emerging and established muralists will be done alongside our community partner, The Industrial Commons and its program TOSS in Morganton, NC.

In the summer of 2021, TOSS asked a group of high school students to identify stories in Burke County that weren’t represented through public art. Building on their research and a subsequent oral history project, TOSS has invested in the creation of 6 murals in Burke Country which amplify the local stories and themes.

This year, the three murals we are creating will focus on the following:

• The Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community

• Women at Work (sectors: civic-engaged jobs, small business, and the arts)

• Rural Futures - Pathways to Thriving

What is the GoodSpace Method?

We are thrilled to spread this indirect mural technique that encourages larger community participation and durable long-lasting beautiful murals in public spaces. Lead muralists and assistants will come through the CMI fully trained in this mural method. 

• To learn more about this method, watch this 2 minute video.

• To learn more about the origins of the poly tab mural technique check out this link.

Roles

There are two roles for artists participating in the CMI: Lead Muralists and Mural Assistants. All participants will learn the techniques and have opportunities to practice 1) community-engaged mural design, 2) community-engaged mural painting, 3) polytab mural prep, and 4) installation. The three Lead Muralists will each be in charge of a mural - painting the portraits and other signature stylistic elements. The Mural Assistants will participate in the community design and painting process and will work in teams with the Lead Muralists to paint and install the murals. 

Compensation and Accommodations

This is a paid training opportunity for artists interested in learning new community engagement techniques and the indirect poly tab mural method.  Industrial Commons has committed to paying North Carolina artists to participate in the training in order to prepare more local artists to compete for public art commissions. Artists will complete the training with more mural tools and a large mural commission for their portfolio. Each Lead Muralist will receive a stipend of $3,000 and Mural Assistants will receive a stipend of $1,900 for their participation in the training. This stipend will be awarded to all selected participants. Other accommodations include 1) meals during in-person training and installation, and 2) free housing options with local hosts. Unlike a direct mural commission, CMI and The Industrial Commons bear all the expenses of the project including insurance, materials, equipment, administrative and business expenses, community event expenses such as interpretation and food, rent and utilities for training and studio sessions, etc. Because of this, our scholarship is based on an hourly rate for the estimated time of the training as opposed to a square footage rate which is calculated with all the fringe expenses of creating a mural. We are dedicated to full transparency and you are welcome to take a deeper dive into the full budget, available upon request.

CMI is right for you if:

The CMI is right for you if:

• you are interested in expanding your mural technique toolbox and portfolio (murals require very long hours, taxing physical work, and working outside and in view of the public)

• are comfortable opening your artistic process to community input and critique (must be willing to talk with, and guiding groups of people you don’t know)

• have an interest in creating narrative or figurative murals and are able and committed to creating designs and completing artwork on a structured, sometimes short timeline

• committed to independently pursuing opportunities to create more community-engaged murals

Schedule

Instructors

The Community Mural Institute is designed and run by Greta McLain, the Founder and Artistic Director of GoodSpace Murals and Britt Ruhe, the Director of Common Wealth Murals and Producer of Fresh Paint Springfield.

Greta McLain, Owner and Artistic Director of GoodSpace Murals, has over 15 years of mural making experience. Greta uses muralism to explore the ways that art can bring communities together, the power of visual language to activate voice, and the potential of art as a vehicle for hands-on organizing and educating. She has spent her career studying new and traditional mural  techniques in order to fine tune her mural practice for community participation. She has created over 50 projects in and around the United States (Minnesota, Tennessee, Ohio, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania,North Dakota, and California) as well as internationally with works in  Argentina, Mexico, Cuba and France. Greta works out of Minneapolis and travels around the country/world muraling and teaching wherever community art can be activated as a tool for positive community engagement. She earned her BA from the University of California Davis and her MFA from Minneapolis College of Art and Design. 

Britt Ruhe is the founder and Director of Common Wealth Murals, (CWM).  Since 2019 CWM has facilitated the creation of more than 40 murals, over half of which were created in collaboration with community. CWM produces Fresh Paint Springfield, an annual mural festival bringing neighborhood-specific fine art to diverse neighborhoods across Springfield,  collaborates in the production of Springfield’s annual graffiti jam, and has produced window installations, bike kiosk installations, sidewalk art installations, and other temporary public art installations.  For over 20 years, Britt has led non-profit organizations, applying her skills in community organizing, project management, fiscal management, and public relations to create transformative opportunities for people to work together to improve their own communities. Britt holds a BA in Community Development and an MBA from UMass.

Partners

The Industrial Commons founds and scales employee owned social enterprises and industrial cooperatives, and supports frontline workers to build a new southern working class that erases the inequities of generational poverty and builds an economy and future for all.

TOSS is a program of The Industrial Commons. We have 5 board members, 13 steering committee members, and a staff of 2. Our mission is to foster and share our values around the future of work, environmental sustainability, and civic engagement through the arts. Harnessing the power of visual art and community organizing, we work toward personal and institutional transformation for and with working class families. Through our educational programs students are trained in creative, critical thinking and familiarized with visual mediums. Through public art projects, we highlight our diverse communities and prompt civil dialogue around important issues. Last year we clocked 78,236 hours of impact, serving over 1,450 students and 2,000 members of the community. 

Artist Selection Criteria 

Artists will be selected to participate based on the following. 

Application Process Questions

General info 

• Contact information - Name, email, phone number, mailing address

• The names, emails and phone numbers of 2 references who can speak to your artistic and/or professional experience

• Indicate whether or not you:

• have your own transportation

• are available for all of the scheduled dates

• Acknowledge your agreement with the eligibility criteria, requirements, terms, and conditions for this mural training program.

Artist Statement

Short response questions: 

• An Artist Statement describing your work and approach to your artistic practice. (one paragraph)

• Describe your past experience with community-engaged art making, teaching, workshop facilitation, and/or public speaking. (one paragraph)

• Why are you interested in applying to the Morganton CMI? (one paragraph)

• This year, our three mural themes are 1) Economic opportunity in Burke County 2) Women in the Workplace in Burke County 3) The Deaf and hard of hearing community in Burke County. Describe how you identify with one (or more) of those themes.

Portfolio

• 3-5 images of your artwork which best represent the style you would use for a mural (jpg, png or pdf files only) 

• Links to social media and/or a website which shows your artwork, if you have them 

• A Resume or CV. This should have any relevant work/artistic experience with murals and painting. We are specifically interested to know if you have any community-engaged artmaking, teaching, workshop facilitation and/or public speaking experience.