The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville, Urban Green Lab & Nashville Farmers Market are thrilled to announce a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for an artist to paint a dynamic mural for Urban Green Lab’s Waste Less Mural Project, a mural series across Nashville dedicated to raising visibility about the issue of food waste. 

About the Nashville Farmer's Market

The Nashville Farmers' Market accommodates locals and tourists alike representing the best of Nashville's food system and boasting a rich history of equity among Nashvillians. Additionally, it doubles as a great place for Nashville to show off its hospitality! Through its vendors and patrons, this unique venue, adjacent to historic North Nashville and Germantown neighborhoods, balances international and local flavors alike. Learn more about the market's history.

About the Mural

The fourth mural in the Waste Less Mural Project will be installed on the exterior wall of the walk-in cooler in Farm Shed 1 at the Nashville Farmers Market. It will declare “Food is our Past, Present, and Future. Waste Less.” to inspire shoppers, visitors, and neighbors to reduce food waste. The theme honors the market's long and storied history while celebrating its current identity as a diverse community food hub, reflecting the backgrounds of its vendors and patrons. The future is twofold. A nod to the possibilities of what the market will become and a reminder of the opportunities it offers as a public food system hub where equity flourishes.

How to Apply

To be considered, interested artists should submit 3–5 representative works from their existing portfolio, an artist statement, and a short narrative regarding their idea(s) for the mural and its significance and relation to the theme of "Food is our Past, Present, and Future. Waste Less."

Selection Process

Submissions will be evaluated by a diverse Selection Committee comprised of stakeholders from Urban Green Lab, Nashville Farmer's Market, Nashville Public Library, Nashville's local food system, and the local creative community. The Selection Committee will select 3 finalists to expand upon their initial ideas and submit full proposals for final review — including a representative mock-up of the proposed mural design. Upon completion and submission of their Final Proposals, each finalist will be awarded a stipend of $250 for their work. 

The Committee will select one mural design from the three Final Proposals, with the selected artist receiving an additional stipend of $4,800 with 25% paid upfront and 75% paid upon completion of the mural. Artists will also be reimbursed up to $1,000 for supplies. This final artwork must integrate the phrase "Food is our Past, Present, and Future. Waste Less." and the date "1801" into its design. 

Mural Installation

Timeframe: The selected artist will have from May 5 to June 13, 2025, to complete the mural. The deadline is not flexible due to grant funding restrictions.

Mural size: 8 feet x 20 feet (160 sq. ft.)

Surface: Off-white, light gray metal facade

Theme: Food is our Past, Present, and Future. Waste Less. (This text must be prominently included in the final mural design as well as the founding date of the market: 1801. )

Location: On the exterior wall of the walk-in cooler in Farm Shed 1 at the Nashville Farmers' Market, 900 Rosa L Parks Blvd, Nashville.

Rights & Licenses: The artist maintains all rights and grants a perpetual, limited license to the Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville, Urban Green Lab, Nashville Farmers' Market, and their subsidiaries and agents to reproduce the mural, and use any photographs containing the mural, for non-commercial purposes related to promoting, educating, and informing the public about the Nashville Food Waste Initiative (NFWI), the Waste Less Mural Project, and other programs of Urban Green Lab, the Arts & Business Council, or the Nashville Farmers' Market.

Questions may be sent to info@abcnashville.org.

This project is made possible in part through funding from the Tennessee Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. 


 


 


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Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville