Trades District Mural Call for Proposals

Trades District Mural: Call for Proposals

Indiana University, in partnership with the Kiln Collective, the Mill, and the City of Bloomington, seeks a community artist or artist team to create a signature mural for an outdoor location in Bloomington's Trades District. This artwork is part of a larger grant-funded project to accelerate the transformation of the Trades District through strategic investment in talent attraction and retention, area development, and placemaking initiatives.

Bloomington community artists and artist teams age 18 and over are invited to submit proposals for an original mural that celebrates the past, present, and future of the Trades District. Artists or teams must be based in or primarily serving the Bloomington community.

Project Timeline

RFP released:
January 14, 2026
Submission deadline:
February 25, 2026
Artist selected by:
March 6, 2026
Installation period:
Mid March - April 2026
Public unveiling and celebration:
Late April - Early May 2026

Submit your proposal by February 25, 2026

Context

Bloomington's Trades District is located on 12 acres of Bloomington’s 65-acre Certified Technology Park, designated to support business growth, research, and entrepreneurship. It occupies the site of the former Showers Brothers Furniture factory, once a pioneer in innovative production techniques and a key employer for the region.

Current anchors of the Trades District include The Mill, a nonprofit coworking and innovation hub; The Forge, a new Class A office building intended for tech, research, and growth-stage companies; and The Kiln, a historic building converted into modern office and commercial space.

The proposed mural will be installed on a retaining wall between 11th Street and the north side of the Kiln building, in the courtyard outside a new location of Soma Coffeehouse.

Learn more about the Trades District

Project Details

The mural should reflect the district’s evolution, honoring its industrial roots while celebrating its present and future identity as a place for technology and innovation. It should foster a vibrant, inclusive environment, celebrate Bloomington’s creative spirit, and encourage connection. All artistic styles are welcome.

Proposals should include original artist or artist group ideas and renderings with no use of generative AI. Submissions created using generative AI tools will be ineligible for selection.

The mural will be painted across two concrete walls which join together at a 90 degree angle. Dimensions of the walls are provided in the diagram below.

Prior to the mural being painted, the wall will be power washed and primed. This expense will be separate and not included in the overall payment to the artist or artist team.

View of the courtyard at the north side of the Kiln, future home of Soma Coffeehouse and site of the proposed mural.

Closer view of the mural walls. 11th St. is to the north.

The shorter of the two walls, perpendicular to 11th St.

The longer of the two walls, parallel to 11th St.

View from 11th St. looking down into the courtyard, site of the future mural.

Budget

One artist or artist team will be commissioned to create a mural with a budget not to exceed $16,000. The proposed budget must include all costs including materials, equipment, design, labor, contigency fees, and other expenses.

Budget: $16,000

Payment schedule:

Deposit - 25% upon contract signing and submission of final, approved mural renderings
Progress payment - 50% upon significant completion of work (e.g. 50-75% of mural painted / all major materials purchased)
Final payment - 25% after stakeholders approve final mural and submission of maintenance plan

Proposal Requirements

Applicants are expected to submit the following materials for review:

Professional Resume or CV (2 pages maximum).
For a team application, include a resume or CV for each team member.
Prior Work Samples
Images of past work, preferably of similar scale, scope, and budget. For each project, please include the following information:
-image(s) reflecting the completed work
-brief project description
-budget
Concept Proposal
-A brief narrative (up to one page) describing the artistic vision, materials, and approach.
-Up to two concept drawings or digital renderings showing suggested media, colors, and approximate dimensions.
Itemized Budget
Include all estimated costs for materials, equipment, design, labor, contingency fees, and other expenses.
Timetable
Proposed dates for start, 50-75% significant completion milestone, and final completion.

How to submit

Submissions must be received by 11:59 PM on February 25, 2026. Email your proposal to econdev@iu.edu.

All materials should be packaged together in a single PDF file.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact econdev@iu.edu.

Selection Process

A selection panel, including members of the Kiln Collective, community representatives, art professionals, and project partners, will review proposals and recommend one artist or artist team for commission. Selected artist or artist team may be asked to update their designs based on the review panel’s feedback. Once contracted, the artist or artist team will coordinate with the project team on installation scheduling and site logistics.

Proposals will be evaluated by the selection committee based on the following criteria:

Artistic quality and originality
Demonstrated ability to complete works of similar scope and durability
Relevance to the project’s goals and themes
Excellent communication skills
Feasibility and clarity of proposal (budget, materials, installation)
Overall value and alignment with the Trades District vision