Mural Friendly City Program

Thank you for your interest in being recognized as a Mural Friendly City!

BEFORE YOU BEGIN, please note that while we allow this application to be submitted by anyone (including government agencies, boards, non-profits, neighborhood associations, and even individual citizens), it consists of an extensive series of questions regarding mural regulations and ordinances, along with a $350 application fee. If you do not have the necessary information for completing this application, you should forward it to the appropriate city official or representative for completion.

You can (download a PDF of the questionnaire here) to assist you in preparing and tracking the required information. If you have already gathered all the answers needed to apply, you can do so by completing the form below.

Based on the application materials and information you provide, you may be either:

1) be denied a mural friendly designation for failing to meet the standards, or

2) you will receive a mural friendly designation in one of three categories: Gold, Silver, or Bronze. In our official recognition correspondence you will also receive information on how to improve your designation for the following year, should you choose to reapply, along with graphics for promoting your designation on social media, and information about purchasing optional plaques or awards to celebrate your accomplishment.

Designations:
There are three designations available in order to accommodate communities of various sizes:

1) Mural Friendly City – for towns and cities of all sizes

2) Mural Friendly Neighborhood – for non-profit or community groups running a mural program in a designated portion of a large city which operates independent of the city at large. It is possible for both a city to receive a Mural Friendly City designation AND a neighborhood within that city to receive a Mural Friendly Neighborhood designation, but they must be applied for independently.

3) Mural Friendly County – for large communities, rural areas, or counties where multiple cities or organizations work together to use public art for tourism and/or identity purposes.

Standards:
The National Mural Awards has crafted four standards for Mural Friendly Cities in order to be inclusive of communities of all sizes while ensuring consistency across the program.

Standard 1: A Public Art Department

There should be a community art board, department, or position with legal authority and responsibility for public art decisions.

For this section of the application communities must identify who is responsible for managing public art. Based on the size of the community being served, the responsibility for public art could be held or shared by a Community Art Board, a department such as Parks & Rec, or by a single position like a Public Art Supervisor. The responsibility could even be delegated to a third party organization or non-profit. While only one entity is required to be established for the care of public art, in some communities both professional staff and a community art board are established. Additionally, in some communities the person, position, or department with responsibility for oversight of public art activities is not explicitly identified but is implied based on the community or state ordinance structures. This is also acceptable.

Purpose:
Establishing authority and responsibility over public art decisions helps community officials, leaders, and local artists determine who is responsible for public art work. This allows assists the public in knowing who is accountable for decisions that impact community art programs.

Standard 2: Public Art Ordinances

There should be clear laws, ordinances, or guidelines that assign authority over, and responsibility for, the planning, approval, installation, and care of murals in public and private spaces.

Ordinances guide communities in the establishment, conservation, protection and maintenance of murals and other public art. Codified and enforced ordinances help communities maximize the benefits of public art, while limiting confusion about what is acceptable, and creating more vibrant communities. Effective public policies are not always contained in a single “Public Art Ordinance”, and therefore it is acceptable to have mural clauses in a single ordinance or throughout a community’s ordinance or policy structure.

Purpose:
Mural ordinances, and other legally enforceable policies, guide communities in the proper care, establishment, conservation, protection and maintenance of public art.

(The National Mural Awards recognizes the complexity of developing an ordinance in the diverse legal, cultural, and political landscape of communities. Standard 2 is intentionally broad to allow communities of all sizes to participate in the Mural Friendly Cities program)

Standard 3: Annual Expenditure on Art Activities

There is a dedicated mural fund or annual appropriation of city funds for use in creating public art.

Murals are an investment in the health, comfort, and livability of a community. That is why Mural Friendly communities allocate funding towards supporting public art. Expenditures might include staff time, contracted/commissioned mural work, grants to mural artists, repairs or restorations to existing murals, and expenses for mural related events like festivals.

Purpose:
Budgets and expenditures require planning and accountability, which are fundamental to the long-term stability of mural programs.

Standard 4: Mural Celebration and Recognition

Communities should host a festival or celebration for murals and public art, or alternatively provide public recognition for artists and their work.

Mural Friendly communities take part in the celebration of murals through official proclamations and events highlighting the value of public art. The events help bring visibility to the importance of mural efforts and can be used to honor specific artists and projects. Murals can be celebrated at any time during the year, either in a dedicated festival or event, as part of other community or art related programming or events, or even through community proclamations or awards issued and signed by the mayor, city council, or an equivalent official or representative.

A mural event can be simple and brief, or an all-day, or all-week celebration of murals and public art. Observances may include mural painting events and activities, education, an award ceremony that honors mural artists and organizations, or other programming that raises awareness of the importance and value of murals.

Purpose: To generate excitement and publicity for art and artists, and to educate community members about the value of murals. To gain the support for the community mural program from public officials by passing and reciting an official mural proclamation.

2027 Mural Friendly City Application – Due by October 1, 2026