The Carondelet Food Patch is seeking an artist to create a mural that will be a focal point of the garden.
The selected artist will receive $2,000 to complete the project and will produce the mural on a large shipping container in the garden. St. Louis and St. Louis County artists are eligible for the project, but artist living in the Carondelet area will be given priority.
“We are really working toward making the orchard not just a space for nourishment, but also for community," said Ivey March, Carondelet Food Patch co-leader. “A place for the community to gather.”
Applications are due June 30. Artists should share design proposals along with a CV, three to five images from the artist's portfolio, a budget and the planned size of the project. The steering committee expects to select an artist by July 31 with installation by late summer or early fall.
“It's hard for a lot of people in neighborhoods to get access to fresh fruits and vegetables,” March said. “We just want it to be a place that feels really welcoming and where people feel safe and nourished, and I believe both food and arts does that.”
March said artists have already applied. The Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis shared the mural request through its Culturalyst program, which promotes arts opportunities.
More than 250 artists and more than 80 organizations across the St. Louis area have signed up to the program since launching last year, said Regional Arts Commission Communications and Partnerships Director Jay Scherder.
“This is a great opportunity for an organization like [Carondelet Food Patch] to be able to utilize this to get in front of artists,” Scherder said.
The mural is one of three upcoming projects by the Carondelet Food Patch. The garden will install a sculpture by local artist Hans Droog and is working with St. Louis nonprofit LitShop to install a pergola. The garden will hold a fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 31 to raise money for the structure.
