Alternating Currents: Call for Mural Walls

Examples of Murals from the 2025 Festival

These examples showcase the range of style, scale, and artistic approaches created through the festival. For 2026, we are expanding and formalizing our artist-driven model to ensure full creative freedom for participating muralists.

Wall Criteria:

Must be located in downtown Davenport, Bettendorf, or Rock Island.

Priority for walls that are:

• highly visible or high-traffic
• structurally sound and paint-ready
• unobstructed by signage, vegetation, or mechanicals

Artist Selection Process

All artist applications will be reviewed and scored by an independent panel through Quad City Arts. Property owners may view a shortlist of the top-scoring artists and are welcome to indicate a preference. However, preferences are optional and do not determine the final match.

 

Final artist assignments will be made by the Alternating Currents team based on:

• Artistic fit
• Wall size and feasibility
• District budget guidelines
• Overall festival curation

 

Submitting a preference does not guarantee a specific artist, style, theme or aesthetic direction.

Project Cost Structure (Please Read Carefully)

Alternating Currents Mural Fest is funded through multiple downtown districts, each with different tools and budgets. Because of this, project costs vary by location and by the scale of the installation.

 

Here is the general framework:

 

Downtown Davenport & Downtown Bettendorf

These districts typically fully fund standard mural installations through the festival.
However, for larger-scale or specialty installations, a shared-investment model may be considered in partnership with the property owner.

 

Downtown Rock Island

This district uses a shared-investment model as its standard approach, where property owners typically contribute to a portion of the project cost.
Contribution amounts vary based on the artist, scale and materials.

 

General Expectation

Most Davenport and Bettendorf walls will have no cost to the property owner.

Rock Island applicants should be prepared for possible cost-sharing.

Cost discussions occur only if a wall is selected.

You are not committing to any financial contribution by submitting this form.

Creative Control

Alternating Currents Mural Fest is an artist-driven program.

Final creative direction, design decisions and artistic execution belong solely to the artist and the festival.

 

Property owners:

• Do not approve final designs
• May share general style preferences within the form or via festival staff but these do not determine the artist or design
• This ensures artwork reflects the artistic vision of the selected muralist and protects the integrity of the festival’s curation process.

Property/Business Owner Requirements (if selected)

By submitting your wall, you acknowledge the following:

 

• You are donating your wall as a canvas for a festival artist. This is not a commissioned mural.
• Property owners do not control the design.
• You may provide stylistic preferences during the matching process but final creative decisions belong solely to the artist and festival.
• Murals must remain up for at least 3 years, unless a structural or safety issue requires removal.

2026 Timeline

• January 15, 2026 – Wall submissions due
• February 2026 – Artist call + applications open
• March 2026 – Artist selection & wall assignments
• May 2026 – Concept development and initial design submissions
• Mid-August 2026 – Artists onsite; installations begin
• Sunday, August 16, 2026 – All murals complete

Important Note:

Alternating Currents Mural Fest celebrates artistic freedom and expression. By participating:

• You support an artist’s unique creative voice
• You acknowledge that final design approval is not part of property owner participation
• You trust the Alternating Currents curation process
• You understand this is a community-driven artwork, not a private commission
• You recognize the significant value this artwork brings to your building and neighborhood
• This program provides access to high-quality, large-scale artwork that would ordinarily require a substantial investment by the property owner.

Questions?

Contact:
Alisha Espey, Festival Director
aespey@quadcitieschamber.com

Wall Space