PHOTO: A mural by local artist Josh Vega decorates the side of The Vanity Room Beauty Bar in downtown Victoria.
The Victoria Main Street Program is seeking Texas artists to be part of a new program to help bring more public art to downtown Victoria.
The Victoria Main Street Program’s Board of Directors recently launched the Victoria Main Street Public Art Initiative and Fund as a way to collaborate with artists to raise funds for public art initiatives.
“The Victoria Main Street Board wants visitors to experience 200 years of heritage through the downtown art installations,” said Victoria Main Street Program Board President Pam Edge. “Infusing downtown with art helps to enhance the downtown experience and encourages residents and visitors to explore the area.”
What types of artwork can be submitted?
PHOTO #2: A mural by local artist Shuä decorates the side of the Mitchell Event Center (MEC) in downtown Victoria.
In honor of Victoria’s bicentennial, the board is seeking art that is “in some way related to or inspired by the rich history of the Crossroads area, or otherwise connected to it (such as by the artist’s personal history in the city) in a meaningful way.”
The program is open to art of any visual medium. Because selected work will be displayed publicly, large-form artwork may be excluded if it would be too challenging or costly to move for display purposes.
Artists must submit a digital image of the artwork to be considered.
How will selected artwork be used?
Selected artists will receive a $500 prize, and their artwork will be displayed in downtown Victoria. Residents will vote for a top prize winner, who will receive an additional $500.
Selected artists will also grant the Victoria Main Street Program non-exclusive rights to use their art for fundraising purposes, such as creating and selling merchandise. All proceeds from this program will be used for Victoria Main Street Program initiatives to bring public art to downtown Victoria.
Stay connected
To submit your artwork and to view the full terms and conditions, visit www.victoriatx.gov/publicart. The submission deadline is Aug. 31.
If you have any questions about the program, contact the Victoria Main Street Program Board of Directors at jeb@rs-emergency.com.