Call for Mural Artists - Robert Smalls Townhomes
Artists are encouraged to apply for a two-part mural to be installed inside at Robert Smalls Townhomes in Spartanburg, SC. The townhomes are being constructed by Colliers International and should be ready for mural installation in the Summer of 2022. This mural will be located in the clubhouse, which will serve the needs of the tenants and will be open as a meeting place for local groups and clubs. The purpose of the murals is to commemorate the life of Robert Smalls and educate the community as to his amazing feats of bravery and daring and his service in the SC government.
This project is being managed by Chapman Cultural Center. Please contact Melissa Earley if you have any questions. mearley@chapmanculturalcenter.org, 864-278-9685.
Theme & Vision:
Roberts Smalls was born into slavery in Beaufort, but during the Civil War, while serving as a deckhand, he commandeered a Southern warship docked in the Charleston harbor and used it to transport his family and several other slaves to freedom in the North. He served in the Union Army and went on to become one of the first Black men to serve in the SC General Assembly and in the SC State Senate.
In the clubhouse, there are two walls beside each other open for your vision for how best to tell the visual story of Robert Small’s life and works. The mural(s) should be appropriate for all ages and audiences, as the clubhouse will be available to serve the whole community. Words, phrases, dates, quotes, etc. may be incorporated into the mural in order to help tell the story.
Preference will be given to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) artists, and to Spartanburg County artists, but all artists with a vision and passion for this project are encouraged to apply. All applicants should familiarize themselves with the life story of Robert Smalls, and the following links will help get you started:
https://www.pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/history/which-slave-sailed-himself-to-freedom/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Smalls
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/thrilling-tale-how-robert-smalls-heroically-sailed-stolen-confederate-ship-freedom-180963689/
If you have an idea that you would like to discuss, feel free to reach out to Melissa Earley: mearley@chapmanculturalcenter.org, 864-278-9685.