Louisville Downtown Partnership (LDP) is seeking a mural artist or artist team to design and install a large-scale mural on the south wall of the Main Street underpass in Downtown Louisville. The wall spans roughly 260 feet wide, with heights of 23 feet on the east side and 12 feet on the west side. The creative theme, “Bridging Louisville,” envisions weaving together the stories of Downtown’s past and present with those of adjacent neighborhoods—creating a visual bridge that celebrates our shared identity and history.
LDP is a non-profit organization that, in addition to increasing economic growth in Downtown through strategic efforts and public and private partnerships, creates and supports various placemaking programs to make Downtown Louisville’s streets and public spaces more colorful, unique, and engaging.
Budget Description
• Project jointly funded by Louisville Metro Government and LDP
• The budget is intended to pay for travel, artist and design fees, insurance, materials, equipment, fabrication, and installation
• Wall prep (power washing & sticker removal) will be completed by LDP before project starts in Spring 2026
• Goal to have mural completed by end of April 2026 weather permitting
The underpass sits between Hancock and Jackson streets on E. Main Street. The wall is dimensional, with various sections of concrete blocks. The viewer will likely experience the mural up close as they walk on either side of the street.
Technical Requirements
• Artwork should cover at least 70% of a 10 ft tall x 250 ft wide section of the wall (no full coverage, no border, more open layout desired)
• Concrete-specific paint suitable for exterior conditions(to be approved)
• Completion within 4 weeks of project start date – weather permitting
• Limit usage of dark colors (for inspection purposes and low-light environment)
• Include primer coat and non-sacrificial anti-graffiti/UV protection coating that promotes the removal of graffiti without damaging the mural
Eligibility
• All artists must be over 18 years of age, or teams with one member over the age of 18
• Artist or artist team resides within 200 miles of Louisville, KY
• Experience with large-scale outdoor murals
Selection Process
The selection committee will have representatives from LDP, the Mayor’s Office, the Commission on Public Art (COPA), and adjacent property owners. The awarded artist or artist team will be notified no later than the end of January 2026.
Selection Criteria
Submission to include:
• Written Statement
o Experience with large-scale murals in outdoor public spaces
o Experience with community-engaged public art
o Project timeline and budget breakdown
• Proposed concept sketch and description (full color and fine detail not required, but should communicate storytelling, layout, and style direction)
• Portfolio (overall artistic style and quality of work)
Submission Instructions
Deadline: December 15, 2025:
• Share all required information along with contact information: full name(s), mailing address, and phone number
• Portfolio (3-5 relevant mural works) including artist bio (can be links to website pages or digital files)
• Professional references (2), name and email
• Application Form – All information will be collected in the form, including uploaded files
• Artist or artist team name must be on each file uploaded
Timeline
Phase 1: Call for Mural Artists & Final Selection
Artist applications will be due by Monday, December 15, 2025 at 11:59 pm ET. Artists may be contacted with questions regarding their concept sketch. Additional information may be requested to make final selection, including a full-color render, if necessary. Artists will be paid for any post-submission artwork requests if they are not awarded the project.
Phase 2: Contracting, Design, and Installation
The final artist or artist team will be asked to enter a contract, which outlines project milestones and a payment schedule, with LDP. Anticipated installation will be in the early spring of 2026, depending on the design process and the artist’s availability.
For questions or site details, contact Jenny Cutshaw, 502-614-4129, jcutshaw@louisvilledowntown.org
Main Street Underpass Mural FAQs
Q: What does LDP want to see in the concept sketch?
The goal is to understand how you think creatively, not to see a polished design. A simple pencil or pen sketch is completely appropriate – we’re looking for your original thinking about how you’d approach the project, what story you want to tell, and how you envision using the space. We understand that additional research and development will be needed to create a finished design. At this stage, your sketch and description just need to share what area you want to explore further and what ideas you’re considering. Show us the direction you’d take and the concepts that interest you. The sketch helps us see your creative process and artistic voice. Your concept description will do a heavier lift in conveying your vision, so focus on communicating your ideas clearly rather than creating refined artwork at this stage.
Q: What themes or stories is LDP looking for?
We want unique perspectives and stories that reflect the neighborhood feel of downtown Louisville, rather than more common or expected Louisville themes (like horses or bourbon). We’d like this to feel like a “neighborhood” mural that encompasses the diverse character of downtown and its connections to surrounding communities. Think about the layers of history, the people who live and work here, the bridges (literal and metaphorical) that connect us, and the everyday moments that make downtown Louisville distinctive.
Q: What is LDP’s policy on AI-generated artwork?
The final mural design and artistic style must be 100% original to the artist. AI tools may NOT be used for:
• Creating the final design or any substantial portion of it
• Generating the artistic style or visual aesthetic
• Producing imagery that will be directly translated to the wall
* We’re looking for your unique artistic voice, hand, and vision – something that could only come from your creative process and personal perspective. Selected artists will be asked to confirm that their submitted work and final mural represent original artwork created by them.
Q: What does “70% coverage, no full coverage, no border, more open layout desired” mean?
Since the wall is so long, we wanted to see artwork span the entire length but didn’t feel it needed to be a full coverage, rectangular image. The design could take many forms; a few examples include but not limited to:
• Several vignettes arranged along the wall
• An asymmetrical design that grows from one side to the other
• A layout that follows a wavy or organic pattern, moving up and down along the wall
• Elements that float or are distributed across the space rather than filling every inch
• We’re looking for creative approaches to the 250-foot length that feel intentional and dynamic rather than confined to a rigid rectangular border.
Q: Can I apply without design sketches?
Yes, an artist can still be considered without conceptual design sketches. If their portfolio and experience are strong, they will still be competitive. Please see the Scoring Matrix below to understand how applications are evaluated.
Q: Are you paying artists for conceptual work?
Initial submissions include rough concept sketches (see Scoring Matrix below for how these are weighted). If more detailed designs are needed to make a final decision, a stipend will be provided to up to 5 finalists to produce fully rendered concepts for the mural. The time frame for this additional phase will be 2-3 weeks.
Q: What safeguards are in place to protect artists’ intellectual property and copyright in this submission process?
All concept sketches and materials submitted remain the intellectual property of the submitting artist. Louisville Downtown Partnership will use submissions solely for evaluation purposes and will not reproduce, modify, or implement any non-selected concepts. LDP will require all selection committee members to sign a confidentiality agreement stating they will not share, reproduce, or use submitted concepts outside the evaluation process. By submitting to this RFP, artists agree to the Terms of Submission outlined at the bottom of this document, which formalize these protections.
Q: Is timing flexible to complete the piece in the summer versus the spring?
LDP will work with the selected artist or artist team to determine the best start date so that the mural can be finished in a timely manner while accounting for weather conditions and artist availability. Ideally, the winner will be announced in time for materials and equipment to be purchased and for painting to begin in April. If needed, the start date may be later.
Scoring Matrix
Applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:
• Portfolio Review – 60 points (HIGHEST PRIORITY)
• Artistic Quality & Style – 30 points
• Relevance of Previous Mural Work – 30 points
• Proposed Concept – 20 points
• Storytelling & Design Process (written portion) – 10 points
• Visual Design & Composition (rough sketch) – 10 points
• Written Statement – Experience – 20 points
• Outdoor Mural Experience – 10 points
• Timeline & Budget – 10 points
Total Possible Points: 100
* Note: As indicated by the scoring weights, portfolio quality is the most important factor in our selection. Strong portfolios with limited or no conceptual sketches can still be highly competitive.
LDP Terms of Submission
By submitting to this RFP, artists acknowledge and agree to the following terms:
• Artists retain full copyright to all submitted materials unless selected and entering into a contract with LDP
• Submissions are for evaluation only – LDP will not share, reproduce, modify, or implement any non-selected concepts
• Confidentiality during evaluation – LDP will keep all submissions confidential during the evaluation process
• Committee confidentiality – All selection committee members are bound by a confidentiality agreement and may not share, reproduce, or use submitted concepts outside the evaluation process
• Original work – Artists confirm they are submitting original work and have the right to use any
materials included in their submission