2161_Jul_20_26_solicitation_doc.pdf

This is a Request for Quotation (RFQ) solicitation document issued by the Town of Vernon, Connecticut, for the design and installation of a large-scale narrative mural project. The Town seeks qualifications from professional artists or artist teams to create artwork at 1 Prospect Street in Rockville, a historic former mill town center and current Cultural District. The mural must convey the dynamic energy of the Rockville area and communicate a welcoming message to locals and visitors, incorporating the theme "Threads of Community" as a baseline. The mural will occupy a concrete wall surface of approximately 460 square feet (33 feet by 12-18 feet) at a prominent entrance to the Rockville Cultural District on Route 74. Applications must be submitted as a single merged PDF file to Annie Geitner, Accelerator Mural Project Leader, at ageitner@vernon-ct.gov by July 15, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. EDT. Finalists will be selected by July 31, 2026, with finalist interviews scheduled for August 7, 2026, and artist notification on August 17, 2026. Design finalization is due August 31, 2026, with installation to be completed by December 2026.

The total project budget is $17,000, which must cover the artist stipend, materials, equipment (scaffolding and lifts), surface treatment, UV sealant, anti-graffiti coating, and personal liability insurance. Eligible candidates must be professional or semi-professional artists, designers, or fabricators age 18 or older and legally eligible to work in the United States. Connecticut-based artists, Rockville residents, and Vernon Public Schools alumni are strongly encouraged to apply, though the project is open to all U.S.-based artists. The Town actively encourages applications from Minority Business Enterprises, Women Business Enterprises, and Small Business Enterprises. Finalists receive a $200 stipend upon written agreement and W-9 submission. Upon final selection, the Town of Vernon obtains 100% ownership of the artwork as a work made for hire, with copyright transferring to Cornerstone Foundation LLC. Community engagement findings indicate strong preference for imagery depicting rivers or threads flowing through town, threads forming hearts or infinity symbols, and diverse faces connected by flowing lines, alongside mill heritage, local landmarks, and cultural elements.