City of DeKalb solicits mural art submissions by May 12

DeKALB – The city of DeKalb and the Citizens’ Community Enhancement Commission are accepting artists’ design ideas for a new mural at downtown DeKalb’s eastern entrance.

The mural will be painted on the eastern facade of the building at the northwest corner of East Lincoln Highway and Seventh Street.

The building facade had a mural celebrating DeKalb’s Lincoln Highway location installed in 2006. The mural faded, and its mounting recently fell off the building. The commission intends to incorporate Lincoln Highway and Abraham Lincoln as the new mural’s themes.

“We’ve made great strides with our public arts program, and this project makes sure each side of our downtown continues to feature a vibrant mural celebrating the community,” Mayor Cohen Barnes said in a news release. “The talent of our local artists has been highlighted in so many of our projects, and I can’t wait to see their creative ideas for our next mural.”

The mural’s creation coincides with the city of DeKalb and Illinois’ Declaration of Independence’s 250th anniversary celebrations. The Citizens’ Community Enhancement Commission will include the mural in the city’s anniversary activities.

“DeKalb has long embraced its presence and history as a community along the Lincoln Highway,” Citizens’ Community Enhancement Commission chair Brad Hoey said in the release.

“Along with the mural, several markers, and a gazebo located in Kishwaukee Kiwanis Park at the corner of East Lincoln Highway and South 11th Street, highlight the history of the ‘Father Road’ and its impact on travel and culture in Illinois,” Hoey said in the release. ”The CCEC is excited about the opportunity to create an original work of public art that acknowledges DeKalb’s place in the story of the Lincoln Highway as part of our community’s celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday.”

The mural is the latest project in DeKalb’s reinvigorated public arts program. The program included the creation of 11 utility box murals, the DeKalb Veterans Memorial Mural, the Huskie Pride mural, and the City Hall Belonging mural.

The mural will be funded by a National Endowment for the Arts grant and Illinois Arts Council support.

Applications are available at cityofdekalb.com/1578/Call-for-Artists. The submission deadline is May 12.

For information, visit cityofdekalb.com/1578/Call-for-Artists.