January 10-11 | theCO | Deadline to SIgn up Jan. 3
Are you a West Tennessee artist ready to be involved in Jackson’s public art scene? This is your chance to leave your mark on downtown Jackson! Our Jackson Home, in partnership with the City of Jackson, is inviting artist teams of 2 to sign up for Design Dash - a new public art design challenge that will result in one team getting $11,000 to install downtown’s newest mural.
Sign ups open Nov. 18th!
What to Expect:
Form a Team: Pair up with another artist or graphic designer to create a dynamic duo. Choose one person to be the team leader who is a professional artist to lead the mural installation.
Mystery Mural Challenge: No hints, no pre-planned designs! You’ll receive the mural’s location and theme only when the event kicks off.
Free Meals: Enjoy meals provided during the event to keep you energized as you create!
Two-Day Design Event: Gather with other artist teams at theCO to collaborate, brainstorm, and create your mural concept in real time.
Free Mentorship: Receive guidance in your mural design from professional muralist mentors who will be with you during the event.
Pitch Your Vision: Present your design at the Design Dash Showcase to a panel of judges, friends, and family.
Winning Pitch: The top-ranked team will receive an $11,000 project budget to bring your mural to life! This includes, but is not limited to, both artists' fees and labor, materials and supplies, equipment rentals, and travel.
Why Participate?
Collaborate: Work alongside local artists and designers, and receive guidance from professional muralists.
Showcase Your Talent: Get your work seen by the community and art professionals, and leave your mark on Downtown Jackson!
Work with your Neighbors: Offer the community a window into your creative process of designing a mural.
Event Schedule:
Jan. 10th: 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Jan. 11th: 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
SHOWCASE: Jan. 11th, 4:00 p.m.
Participation Rules:
No participant will know the location or theme of the mural until attending the event.
One team leader should connect with another artist or graphic designer for the event. The team leader must be an experienced professional artist who will lead the mural project.
Teams should bring all supplies they might need to create a design rendering of their proposed mural (laptop, tablet, stylus, smartphone, paper of various sizes, writing or drawing utensils, paint markers, etc. might be of use for creating design renderings).
Both team members must be present for the entire event.
The team must present their concept and design at the conclusion of the event at the Design Dash Showcase. The winning team will be notified at the event after the judges score all projects.
The winning team will receive $11,000 for their mural installation. Both team members will sign a contract agreeing to complete the installation by April 2025.
questions?
Register here for a virtual Q&A on December 18th at 12:00 p.m. to ask any questions you have about the project, or email us your questions at ourjacksonhomeinfo@gmail.com
Ready?
Sign ups are open now-Jan. 3rd. Connect with your new team member and sign up below!
meet the mentors
Whitney Herrington | Friday Mentor
Whitney Herrington, a Columbia, TN-based artist and muralist, has made a name for herself with her distinctive blend of nostalgic charm and bold, modern creativity. Since 2018, her murals have enlivened public and private spaces, offering viewers a vibrant visual experience rooted in storytelling. Recently, Whitney transitioned to sculpture with her first public piece, Dancing Poppies, further expanding her artistic expression. Her work is celebrated for its dynamic energy and warmth, engaging audiences in a shared sense of beauty and connection.
Kim Radford | Saturday Mentor
Painting big has always felt better to Kim, so designing murals dominated by larger-than-life subjects with a radiant color pallet is her vibe. As a muralist, her “studio” is wherever she has a wall. The entire process is public and builds excitement in a community. She loves seeing the reactions of people when she starts a mural. There is mystery, wonder, and anticipation of what’s being created in real time. This energy fuels her profoundly to finish and leave something beautiful.
She has successfully collaborated with a range of committees, art councils, independent businesses, and record labels to produce public murals of all sizes. Allison Dillon-Jauken, the executive director at Arts Huntsville, along with the local Women’s Economic Development Council, selected her to design and install a 5-story mural in downtown Huntsville, Alabama. She was thrilled to collaborate with key stakeholders to create a mural celebrating the centennial of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote. (July 2020) Her references also include Kristin Luna, President of Do.More.Art Events, based out of Tullahoma, TN. Between 2020 - 2024, she has completed 5 contracts with DMA that included team design meetings, design revisions, and permanent mural installations of various sizes. (September 2020 - February 2024) Since 2018, Kim has collaborated with designers from dozens of record labels and businesses to bring brand identity, public art, and site-specific installation together successfully.