Call to Artists

Greenfield Celebrates the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution
Call for Art Release date: November 7, 2025
Due Date for Pre-Application response: December 1, 2025 
Contact Information: MA250@Greenfield-ma.gov, (413) 772-1548 ext.4

Important Links:

PDF of entire Artist Call is available here.

Pre-application Google Form is available here.

Questions and answers from the November 17 Information Session are available here.

I. OVERVIEW

Greenfield was awarded a FY2026 Massachusetts 250 Grant. Through our MA250 Greenfield project we will contract with local artists to create ten sidewalk murals in greater downtown Greenfield that highlight the history of the American Revolution and its participants, the ideals furthered by American independence, and/or Greenfield’s history as a revolutionary and innovative city. The project will culminate in early June with the unveiling of the sidewalk murals and historian-led tours of the murals. This project is modeled after a highly successful 2024 sidewalk art project on abolitionist history in Greenfield which can be found at visitgreenfieldma.com/art-walk

Our project will be a celebration of history and art. The murals and Sidewalk Art Tours will be co-marketed through the MA250 statewide website (https://massachusetts250.org/), building cross-promotion opportunities with other communities in Western Massachusetts, and with the annual Juneteenth Celebration and Greenfield Independence Day Fireworks Celebration. We’ll promote tours of the murals to be led by local historians, who will share the history illustrated in the murals.  Self-guided walking tours will be promoted through the project QR, the visitgreenfieldma.com website, and social media. Our MA250 Greenfield project will provide an historic-art-focused offering for residents and visitors celebrating this extra special 4th of July in Western Massachusetts.
The project will beautify greater downtown Greenfield with highly visible work done by local and regional artists. Sidewalk murals are created using nonslip paint and coated with a protective, clear layer. Next to each mural will be a decal displaying a map and QR code to the project webpage. Sidewalk murals last more than a year, even in the harsh conditions of New England winter. 

City of Greenfield staff, in collaboration with local historians, community activists, business leaders, educators, artists, and others are implementing the project. The Steering Committee will identify ten mural sites in the downtown area (also designated the Crossroads Cultural District by the Massachusetts Cultural Council) and the greater downtown area. Through our grant, we will contract with up to ten artists/teams to paint murals on the sidewalks at the designated sites to be located downtown, along Federal and Deerfield Streets, near the Museum of our Industrial History, and other locations. 

The art should be illustrative of the MA250 theme and reflect a person, event, or other interpretation of Greenfield, Massachusetts, and/or the nation in the historic context of the 250th anniversary of our country; final design decisions will rest with the artists. Theme ideas and images will be shared via a Google Folder - MA250_Theme & Image Examples. Artists are also encouraged to explore and share their own theme and image ideas in the folder.  

Questions can be submitted at any time to MA250@greenfield-ma.gov

II. AWARD

Selected artists will receive the following stipends:

Create mockups of mural designs—$100 per design

Create the final mural—$1,100 per mural painted on an approximately 48x48” section of sidewalk, depending on location  

Stipends are inclusive of the cost of art supplies selected by the artist/team and approved by the City. The City of Greenfield will provide low-slip, Americans-with-Disabilities-Act compliant paint to each artist/team at no cost (artists may use their own similar low-slip paint if approved by the City). If an artist is selected for multiple murals they will receive $1,100 for each work. The City will block off the designated sidewalk sections and ensure that any permitting requirements are met before work begins.

The City of Greenfield will enter into contract agreements with individual artists and/or artist teams. Half (50%) of the award amount will be paid upon signing the agreement and the remaining 50% paid upon completion and acceptance of the mural by the City. Promotion and marketing will be conducted by the City, in collaboration with the Project Steering Committee and the artists.

III. WHO CAN APPLY
The call is open to any resident of the United States of America aged 18 years or older. Current or former residents of Greenfield, Massachusetts, and Massachusetts artists familiar with Greenfield are strongly encouraged to apply. Artists and teams with experience in community arts, creative engagement, murals, and paintings are encouraged to apply. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate experience working with community-based organizations, BIPOC communities, and other segments of the population that are underrepresented in the public realm. Artists at all levels of experience – including individuals who are currently enrolled in school – are encouraged to apply.

IV. HOW TO APPLY
-Pre-applications may be submitted in any of the following ways by December 1, 2025:

1. Google Form

2. Email responses to pre-application questions to MA250@greenfield-ma.gov

3. Mail responses to pre-application questions to: 

City of Greenfield
Attn: Community & Economic Development Dept.
14 Court Square
Greenfield, MA 01301

4. Video recording of responses to pre-application questions or other methods approved by MA250 Grant Administrator (MA250@greenfield-ma.gov)

-Pre-application Elements:

1. Contact Information

-Name of artist(s) (If applying on behalf of a team, please list the full names of all team members)

-Mailing address of lead applicant

-Email address of lead applicant

-Phone number of lead applicant

2. Artist Statement
-Please describe your interest in this project and its subject matter. Why are you interested in creating sidewalk mural artwork reflecting the history of the American Revolution and its participants, the ideals furthered by American independence, and/or Greenfield’s history as a revolutionary and innovative city? What would it mean to you to create artwork for this kind of project? Preference will be given to artists that show a strong interest in the subject matter and commitment to the project.

3. Portfolio
Please provide one of the following:

-Link to artist website with examples of artworks,

-Uploaded examples of artwork to Google Folder,

-Printed copies of previous artwork mailed to the address listed above OR

-Email examples of artwork to MA250@greenfield-ma.gov

Preference will be given to applicants whose portfolios indicate a strong ability to create attractive, painted artwork on sidewalk or concrete.

4. Experience
Do you have experience working with community-based organizations, BIPOC communities, and other segments of the population that are underrepresented in the public realm? Please describe your experience below. Experience does not necessarily have to be art-related. Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate experience working with these populations.

5. Timeline
Are you able to meet the key dates listed in the Call for Art (final sidewalk artwork completed by June 5, 2026)? All artists must indicate they can complete their final sidewalk artwork by June 5, 2026.

6. Accommodations
Do you require any accommodations in order to complete the tasks outlined in this project and/or to meet the key dates? Please list them below. If not, please respond “n/a” to this section. No preference will be given to artists based on whether they do or do not require accommodations.

7. References
If available, provide names, phone numbers, and email addresses for two (2) references who will vouch for the applicant’s ability to meet deadlines, to understand complex information, to work within editorial constraints, and to modify artwork according to feedback. If you will not be providing references please reply "n/a" to this section. No preference will be given to artists based on availability of references.

8. Capacity
How many sidewalk murals do you have the capacity to design and create by June 5, 2026? Note: ten sites have been identified to be part of the project and the city intends to select multiple artists/teams. No preference will be given to artists based on the number of murals they have the capacity to create.

V. KEY DATES
-November 7, 2025 - Call for Artists Pre-application Release Date

-November 17, 20256 - 7 pm - Call for Artists Information Session via Zoom (attendance is encouraged, but not required in order to submit a pre-application) - Register here- If you cannot attend the whole meeting, that’s okay. If you have questions that don’t get answered, please submit them in writing.

-November 18, 2025 - Question Submission Deadline. Send questions about the project to MA250@greenfield-ma.gov

-November 19, 2025 by 4 pm - Responses to all questions received via email & during info sessions will be posted on the MA250 Greenfield website by this date

-December 1, 2025 at 11:59 pm - Pre-application Due Date

-December 15, 2025 - Notification of finalist selection on or before this date

-Week of January 5, 2026 - Information session for finalists on project background, with local historians- Steering Committee members consult with artists to develop the final designs & help ensure timely submission of mockups

-February 27, 2026 at 11:59 pm - Artwork mockup due date

-March 11, 2026 - Awards announced on or before this date- Artist agreements sent out for signature

-April 1, 2026 - Artist agreement signed on or before this date

-June 5, 2026 - Final sidewalk artwork to be completed on or before June 5, 2026

-June/July 2026 - Sidewalk Art Tours

VI. SELECTION PROCESS & CRITERIA
A review committee consisting of MA250 Greenfield Project Steering Committee members, local historians, Cultural District Committee members, artists, City staff, and Human Rights Commission members will evaluate the proposals received. Committee members will review submissions in accordance with the criteria listed below. The review committee may seek outside expertise, including, but not limited to, input from technical and subject matter advisors to assist in evaluating proposals.

Pre-application review criteria: Up to ten finalists will be selected based on: interest in the subject matter via the artist statement; ability to create attractive, painted artwork on sidewalk or concrete; experience working with community-based organizations, BIPOC communities, and other segments of the population that are underrepresented in the public realm; ability to meet deadlines.
Final application review criteria: The finalistswill receive a stipend of $100 in order to create a mockup of one piece of sidewalk mural art.

Up to ten artists/teams will then be selected to create artwork based on: a mockup that is a compelling representation a theme in the context of the Greenfield MA250 celebration; a mockup that is of scale and detail that is suitable for an approximately 48”x48” sidewalk square in downtown Greenfield and is ready for immediate creation. The City of Greenfield will enter into grant agreements with the selected artists to finalize a design for and create one to four murals each.

VII. COPYRIGHT
The City of Greenfield and contracted artist each reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable right to reproduce, publish, and otherwise use, and authorize others to use any artworks/deliverables developed under this agreement with attribution. Each contracted artist retains all ownership and copyright of any ancillary materials developed under the Agreement and will grant the City a royalty-free, nonexclusive, limited right to reproduce, publish, and otherwise use any such ancillary materials on a case-by-case basis with the written permission of contracted artist.