Applications open for fairgrounds mural project

MOSES LAKE — Artists are being invited to submit applications to paint new murals at the Grant County Fairgrounds, to be installed during the Grant County Fair. This is the second year of the “Pieced Together” project, sponsored by fairgrounds administrators, Columbia Basin Allied Arts and the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center.

For 2017, artists will be asked to paint murals that depict the communities of Moses Lake, Ephrata, Quincy, Royal City and Soap Lake. One mural is planned for each town. The murals don’t have to be pictorial depictions of the towns, but they do have to represent the community, said museum director Freya Liggett.

“This is a five-year project to not only beautify the Grant County Fairgrounds, but to exhibit our diverse landscapes, commerce and history,” according to a press release about the project. The goal is to create murals for many of the major buildings at the fairgrounds, said CBAA director Ciara Shuttleworth in an earlier interview.

The mural project will have a booth at the fair along with the painting project. It will be staffed with volunteers and at least one guest artist each day, and will have “family-friendly” painting activities.

The murals are painted on removable panels, to be displayed on various buildings and at various events during the summer and stored during the winter. For 2017, artists will use a 4-foot by 4-foot panel for their paintings. The mural base, paint and sealant will be provided.

Artists have the option to paint the mural during the fair, Liggett said. But all artists must commit to spending at least one day at the project painting booth during the fair’s run. The fair is scheduled for Aug. 15 through 19.

All artwork must be finished and ready for installation by 3 p.m. Aug. 19.

Each artist selected will receive a $300 stipend. Applications can be emailed to Liggett at fliggett@cityofml.com or submitted at the museum, 401 South Balsam St., Moses Lake, 509-764-3826. Information also is available at the museum’s website, www.moseslakemuseum.com, under the “artist opportunities” tab.

Artists should include sample sketches of their previous work along with contact information, and indicate which city they want to paint. Submissions are due by July 7.

Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.