CALL FOR ARTISTS

Overview

The City of DeKalb and Citizens’ Community Enhancement Commission (CCEC) are accepting photos and scans of paintings by DeKalb community members to be fabricated into vinyl wraps. The wraps will be installed on utility boxes throughout the City to create public art that sends a welcoming message to residents and visitors and conveys the theme of belonging.

Eligibility

This call is open to residents, current and former students and faculty of Northern Illinois University, Kishwaukee College and the DeKalb School District, employees of DeKalb businesses or any outside artist. Submissions by both novice and professional artists will be accepted.

Project Description

This project seeks to turn several utility boxes into vibrant works of art and is part of ongoing public arts initiatives by the City and CCEC to enhance the aesthetics of DeKalb, create a welcoming environment, promote civic pride, highlight the community’s diversity and promote a spirit of belonging.

The artwork for the project will come from paintings created by eligible applicants. Applicants should submit a digital photo or scan of their painting. The City and a third-party fabricator will then use the digital files to create designs for vinyl wraps to be applied by the third-party fabricator on City utility boxes.

Criteria

The applicant shall submit a digital photo or scan of a painting created by the applicant.

Proposals will be evaluated based on:

• Inclusion of large, simple imagery. The utility boxes to be used for this round of murals are located at traffic intersections; therefore, the submitted paintings should include large, simple imagery that can be seen at a distance by people in their vehicles.
• Submission of high-resolution image. Photographs and scans of paintings should be saved at a high quality so when the image is enlarged for the utility box it does not become heavily blurred or distorted.  
• Incorporation of a welcoming theme conveying a sense of belonging,
• the artistic excellence, vibrancy and originality of the artist and
• the appropriateness of the design for its site in the DeKalb community.

Proposals must be the artist’s own work and must not violate any copyright restrictions. 

Designs should not include inappropriate words, adult images, advertisements, political messages, or religious themes.

Submission Process

All proposals must be submitted via the online application form linked here.

There is no submission fee. Applicants must be 18 or older or have parent or a legal guardian apply.

Applicants should submit high resolution digital images. The photographs and scans will be enlarged to cover large utility boxes, so large high-quality images are needed to minimize blurring and pixelization. If photographing a painting, please make sure it is well lit. Acceptable file formats include JPEG, PNG, BMP, PSD and TIF. If possible, the images need to be 150 DPI or higher at full size.

Along with photographs and scans of existing paintings, artists may create original digital artwork.

Applicants are welcome to submit multiple entries. Each entry must be submitted through a separate online form.

All correspondence and contracts are part of the public record. By submitting materials, you are (1) consenting to the release of those materials by the City in response to requests under the Public Records Act and (2) agreeing to indemnify and hold harmless the City for release of such information.

Selection Process

The CCEC and City staff will review applications for completeness and eligibility. The CCEC will recommend the designs for installation. The number entries to be selected will be determined by the number of utility boxes incorporated into the project.

Project Logistics

The City and CCEC will identify utility boxes throughout the City for this project.

Please note: To accommodate the creation of the vinyl wrap design, the City and its third-party fabricator may alter the selected artwork. These alterations may include, and are not limited to, enlarging or reducing the size of the artwork, adjusting properties such as brightness and contrast and cropping the image so only a portion is used. Multiple pieces of art from different artists may be used on the same box.

Applicants whose artwork is selected may be asked to revise or resubmit their artwork to assist with the creation of the vinyl wrap designs.

Timeline

Submissions must be received no later than 11:59 PM (CST) on Monday, July 14, 2025.

Production & Supply Expenses

The City will cover the expenses of producing and installing the vinyl wraps. This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

Policies

• The City reserves the right to terminate the program as a whole or as it applies to any individual utility box project at any time, in the City’s sole discretion, and to return any utility box to a condition the City shall determine necessary or appropriate.
• Selected artists will be required to complete and sign an agreement allowing the City’s use of their artwork, release and waiver of liability, assumption of risk and indemnity agreement.

Point of contact

Scott Zak
City of DeKalb (IL)
Communications & Community Engagement Manager
Citizens’ Community Enhancement Commission Liaison
(815) 748-2396
scott.zak@cityofdekalb.com