Heart, Love & Soul Garden Mural

Niagara Falls, NY

Request for Qualifications

­­­Issued: February 28, 2023

Issued by: Niagara Falls National Heritage Area

Deadline: March 15, 2023

Project Overview

The Niagara Falls National Heritage Area (NFNHA) is issuing this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for the design and creation of a mural for the new community garden space at Heart, Love & Soul on 930 Ontario Avenue, Niagara Falls, NY 14305. The budget for the project is up to $20,000 with a target install timeframe of mid-April, 2023. This mural will allow Heart, Love & Soul guests and the surrounding community to not only to enjoy a natural greenspace, but to promote wellness in all forms.

The mission of Heart, Love & Soul is to “[nourish] people in need – body, mind & soul – in partnership with others.” Heart, Love & Soul was founded in 1983 as a food pantry to collect and distribute food to community members struggling with unemployment and financial instability in the North End neighborhood of Niagara Falls, New York. The organization has been a fixture in the community for 40 years, and provides the neighborhood with food assistance, human services, and social care. Heart, Love & Soul works collaboratively with other partner organizations through its new Daybreak Program to provide social care services to Niagara Falls residents, and has “provided over 9,405 amenities to guests” since starting in 2021. Heart, Love & Soul is deeply embedded into the fabric of the North End community, and is committed to providing the highest standard of care possible for its community, and to creating positive change.

Public art projects foster pride in communities, assist with neighborhood revitalization, and build appreciation for our community, culture, and heritage. The Niagara Falls National Heritage Area has fostered deep relationships within the community, and has proven experience implementing public art projects, including the murals at Main & Depot and along Main Street. Working together, Heart, Love & Soul and the NFNHA will administer the project and work with the selected artist to create a storytelling experience in the new community garden and outdoor space.

• Mural Space: 125 ft. x 25 ft.

Goals

The NFNHA is seeking a mural that reflect the breadth and depth of the Niagara Falls community, and speak to the neighborhood revitalization currently taking place in the North End community. Our goal is to reflect the people important to Heart, Love & Soul and Niagara Falls, and amplify our values of dignity, social justice, stewardship, and collaboration in our neighborhood. Specifically, the mural should:

• Create a public art mural in the Heart, Love & Soul community garden on the full span of the west side of the building that is reflective of the Niagara Falls community and helps to promote wellness with community members.
• The mural should be relevant to the people who utilize Heart, Love & Soul services and should reflect community input in the creation of the mural.
• The mural should reflect Heart, Love & Soul’s vision: “to build an equitable community that eliminates barriers, ensures opportunity, and transforms lives.”
• The mural will compliment the new community garden and infrastructure, creating a well-rounded outdoor space open to all.

Eligibility Criteria

Qualifications for the Heart, Love & Soul mural project will be reviewed by team members from Heart, Love & Soul and the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area. Applicants will be judged by the eligibility criteria listed below:

• Complete application submitted by the application deadline.
• The submitted application demonstrates evidence of professional competence.
• Eligible artists should have a record of successfully completed permanent and/or temporary public art commissions in public and/or private development.
• Creative approach to the proposed mural concept that is reflective of Heart, Love & Soul’s mission, vision, and the listed project goals.
• Contracted artist is required to be flexible, accountable and work collaboratively with the Heart, Love & Soul and NFNHA teams.

Required Application Materials

1. Artist Statement, that outlines your interests, describes your art practice, provides a summary of your professional experience as an artist, and addresses how that experience may qualify you for public art commissions.
2. Current Resume, including public art commission, exhibition and publication history. Links to online portfolios are encouraged.
3. Images of previous work, including most recent commissions and realized projects. Please submit only successfully completed projects or renderings for projects that are in process.
4. Statement of Intent, that outlines a proposed approach to this project and any initial ideas for mural design, which may include an image (design, sketch, etc).
5. Project budget, including artist fee, supplies, travel, insurance and any other requirements.

Deadline and Budget

Proposals will be accepted between February 28th and March 15th. Applicants will be notified following the deadline whether or not they have been accepted for the project. The mural project must be completed in April 2023.

The maximum budget for this project is $20,000. Applicants should detail the use of funds in the budget section of their application.

Application Submission

• Applicants should submit their application materials to Ally Spongr, NFNHA Director of Public Art, at ally@discoverniagara.org by the deadline of March 15th. For additional information, please visit: heartloveandsoul.org and discoverniagara.org.