Residents To Choose Design Of Silver Spring’s Arts District Mural

SILVER SPRING, MD — Silver Spring residents will have a say in a new mural project coming to the city's Arts and Entertainment District. The large-scale mural, which will be chosen by the community, will be featured at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Bonifant Street in Downtown Silver Spring. A panel has narrowed entries from a variety of artists to three finalist submissions.

Residents can view the three final entries and vote for their favorite online. Votes will be accepted through Oct. 15. Residents may vote one time per email address.

The mural, which will be located opposite a new construction property in Silver Spring’s Ripley District, is a public-private collaboration between the Silver Spring Urban District, the Silver Spring Arts and Entertainment District, and the Washington Property Company.

A public call was issued for artists to submit concept proposals for a two-dimensional, outdoor, large-scale public art mural. The selected artist will be commissioned to paint or install a mural on the exterior wall of 8402 Georgia Avenue at the corner of Bonifant Street. The site faces the future location of a new residential building on Georgia Avenue and the route of the future light rail Purple Line, which is now under construction.

Artists were requested to submit designs that visually activated the length of the wall and conveyed a sense of movement and whimsy. The three finalists each will receive a stipend for their designs, and the winning artist will be awarded the contract. It is hoped the mural will be installed in late fall.

“We had some beautiful designs submitted, but the jury could only choose three that we felt best represented the theme,” said Reemberto Rodriguez, director of the Silver Spring Regional Services Center. “Hopefully, we will get to work with some of the artists on future public art projects in Silver Spring.”

The Silver Spring Arts and Entertainment District, which is managed by Montgomery County and the Silver Spring Regional Services Center—and is funded in part through the Silver Spring Urban District—was designated in 2002 as an Arts and Entertainment District by the State. Maryland’s Arts & Entertainment Districts help develop and promote community involvement, tourism and business revitalization through tax-related incentives that attract artists, arts organizations and other creative enterprises.

Silver Spring is home to more than 50 pieces of public art and 150 popular entertainment venues, arts and humanities organizations, attractions, interactive public art pieces, and entertainment businesses. They combine to attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. More information about the arts and entertainment district is available at https://www.silverspringdowntown.com/arts-district.

The Washington Property Company is funding the cost of the mural. The Bethesda-based company is a full-service commercial real estate company offering a wide range of real estate investment services.

Image via Google Street View