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https://raleighnc.gov/arts/services/public-art-city-owned-buildings-retaining-walls
12/21/2023 4:15 pm

A mural by artist JP Jermaine Powell on wall behind metal bike racks at Raleigh Union Station. The mural features a bicycle, a sun painted around a light fixture, and a silhouette of the city skyline with colorful wavy lines.

Public Art on City-Owned Buildings & Retaining Walls

Use this toolkit to add murals to City-Owned buildings and retaining walls!

Updated: Dec 21, 2023

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Things to Consider Examples Request Process & Approval Timeline Submit Your Request

Image Above: Bike Rack Mural, JP Jermaine Powell, Raleigh Union Station

Things to Consider

Location

  • If you have a specific building or retaining wall in mind, let us know on your request form
  • Contact surrounding businesses, residents, and property owners. Letting community members know about your project will help build support and create a successful project
  • Check if the wall is in a historic district using iMAPS and turning on the Historic Properties layer. Walls in historic districts will require additional permissions
  • Privately owned walls can be painted with artwork under first amendment rights and do not require permission from the City. However, if your design is a billboard or sign (i.e., if the content of the design references a business or contains logos), then you will need to get a sign permit for the privately owned wall

Buildings

  • To determine who owns a wall or building, use iMAPS. Click on the property location or type in the address to see who owns the building
  • Community centers and parks usually have walls that are the perfect canvas for murals

Retaining Walls

  • The City can only grant permissions for retaining walls that are located on City-owned streets
    • Determine if the retaining wall is owned by the City using the Powell Map, which marks City-owned streets in blue
      • If a street is owned by the state of North Carolina, Raleigh Arts staff can connect you with the NC Department of Transportation's public art contact.  

Cost

  • A small mural around 10’ x 12’ usually costs $8,000 - $12,000 (including paying for the materials and the artist’s time) 
  • Medium-sized walls can run $15,000-$25,000 
  • Large walls can cost $25,000 to $100,000 depending on the artists’ reputation and the size of the wall 
  • This type of project does not include funding from Raleigh Arts. Check out other funding opportunities

Facade Grants 

  • Facade Rehabilitation Grant Program: Business owners can qualify for up to $5,000 or up to $10,000 for exterior improvements like lighting, murals, awnings, and art if the location is in an Economic Development Priority Area or the University Village District

Design 

  • Artwork must include the artist's credit. Crediting guidelines for temporary art in public spaces include:
    • Hashtags and artist signatures are allowed
    • No more than two hashtags are allowed
    • No logos are allowed
    • Hashtags and artist signatures should be sized so they are less than or equal to 2% of the painting surface. For smaller artworks, the artist can choose to use up to 2” x 24” instead to retain legibility. The artist has the digression to make the hashtag/signature smaller if they choose

Examples

a large scale vibrant mural of Carolina Hurricanes player painted on a parking deck

Carolina Hurricanes Mural

2022

Gabriel Eng-Goetz

Cabarrus St. and Gale St. park deck

a mural of purple, blue and yellow representing the change in gaming technology

8-bit to 5G

2021

Taylor White

429 S. Wilmington St.

a collage of bugs, flowers, and water painted on retaining walls of a rain garden

Rain Garden Mural

2022

Gabriel Eng-Goetz

Hillsborough St. near Dan Allen Dr.

Request Process & Approval Timeline

StepDescriptionTime Period
Request

You will need to provide the following on the request form:

  • Your contact information
  • The name of the artist creating the artwork *
  • Samples of previous artwork and a written or visual proposal
  • A proposed location if you have one *
  • A proposed project timeline
  • A summary of the project
  • The estimated project cost and its funding sources
  • A list of project partners, if any
  • The level of City involvement needed (help with finding a location, artist selection, permitting, etc.)
  • Acknowledgment that you have read the Community-Initiated Public Art Projects Policy

* If you don't have a location or artist selected, please email Jenn Hales at jenn.hales@raleighnc.gov for guidance.

Download request form

 

Request your project today!
Review

Your project with go through a three-step review process:

  1. The Arts, Education, and Collections Committee (AEC) will review your project and either approve, deny, or approve with a request for changes. This committee meets on the first Thursday of each month.
  2. After approval from AEC, the City of Raleigh Arts Commission (CORAC) will review your project and either approve, deny, or approve with a request for changes. The commission meets on the third Tuesday of each month. 
  3. Maintenance and building staff will review your proposal and decide if the proposed location is appropriate for a mural. 

Once approved, Raleigh Arts Staff will notify you. Please email Jenn Hales at jenn.hales@raleighnc.gov with questions about your project's review progress.

 

1 - 3 months, not including permitting and contract process
Permitting & Permissions

Raleigh Arts can help guide you through the permitting process. 

  • Murals will require a signed agreement. The artist, sponsor organization, or artwork installer will need to: 
    • Register as a vendor with the city 
    • Review and sign the agreement 
    • Provide a certificate of insurance with the City of Raleigh named as an additional insured. (A qualified vinyl installer should already have a certificate of insurance). 

Please email Jenn Hales at jenn.hales@raleighnc.gov with questions about signed agreements and insurance.

  • Historic District 
    • Some projects may also require a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA), which can take 1-3 months for approval, if the location is in a historic district
    • You can check if your location is a historic district using IMAPS and turning on the Historic Properties layer.   
  • A sidewalk closure permit is required while the artwork is installed. Please email Jenn Hales at jenn.hales@raleighnc.gov at least 2 weeks in advance with the exact installation dates.

 

1 - 3 months
Installation
  • Depending on the location, you may need a sidewalk closure permit while the artwork is installed. Please email Jenn Hales at jenn.hales@raleighnc.gov at least 2 weeks in advance with the exact installation dates.
  • Artwork must include the artist's credit. Crediting guidelines for temporary art in public spaces include:
    • Hashtags and artist signatures are allowed
    • No more than two hashtags are allowed
    • No logos are allowed
    • Hashtags and artist signatures should be sized so they are less than or equal to 2% of the painting surface. For smaller artworks, the artist can choose to use up to 2” x 24” instead to retain legibility. The artist has the digression to make the hashtag/signature smaller if they choose
  • Provide photographs and social media details to Jenn Hales so Raleigh Arts can celebrate and promote the project with all project partners

 

After the project is approved, the contract is signed, and permits are secured, choose the installation date.

Submit Your Request

Follow the steps below to submit a request for murals on City-owned buildings & retaining walls:

  1. Review the above information and gather all necessary materials, including how the project will be funded.  This type of project does not include funding from Raleigh Arts. Check out other funding opportunities.
  2. Email a request form several months before your proposed completion date to Jenn Hales at jenn.hales@raleighnc.gov.

Related Links

 

Do-It-Yourself Public Art Projects

Raleigh Arts

Public Art

Artist Calls

Contact

 

Jenn Hales
Public Art Coordinator
jenn.hales@raleighnc.gov

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