Application for Mural Apprentice Program
ABOUT ESSEX COUNTY LAND BANK
At the Essex County Land Bank, we are committed to revitalizing and transforming vacant, abandoned, and underutilized properties into valuable community assets. As an land bank administered by North Country Rural Development Coalition, our mission is to foster sustainable development, promote economic growth, and enhance the quality of life for residents throughout Essex County.
MURAL APPRENTICE PROGRAM OVERVIEW
In 2026 The Essex County Land Bank, in partnership with the North Country Rural Development Coalition (NRDC), will work with the community to program a mural festival in Essex County, NY. Walls Between Waters aims to transform spaces near blighted, vacant, and abandoned properties through public art installations. This new public art will foster community pride and encourage economic revitalization. The project will focus on the creation of five murals in the downtown corridor, accompanied by a community festival. Essex County Land Bank and NRDC will hire qualified artists to install six large-scale mural projects. Walls Between Waters will be held in downtown Ticonderoga in the first week of June 2026. In 2026, four murals will be installed in May-June 2026, and two murals will be installed in July 2026. The murals will all be unveiled on the same day, with celebrations and events taking place throughout the duration of the festival to recognize the artists, apprentices, and the community.
The Walls Between Waters Mural Apprentice Program is meant to offer local artists an opportunity to garner valuable experience installing large-scale murals. This is an excellent resume builder for an aspiring muralist and a great way for a professional artist to get involved in this community intiative! Volunteer apprentices will be paired with experienced muralists and asked to help assist in the mural installation during the mural festival. Learn how to scale a design to fit a building, learn about different mediums, and expand your artist-network!
IMPORTANT DATES & INFORMATION:
- There are FIVE murals being painted in Ticonderoga, NY.
- Each mural is being painted by a different muralist. Each mural artist paints at a different pace, and they will arrive in Ticonderoga on different dates.
- FOUR of the muralists will complete their murals on June 5th.
- The rest of the muralists arrive after July 6h.
- Apprentices will be assigned to specific sites based on their preferences as indicated in their application form and from feedback garnered during apprentice orientation.
- We also host an apprentice orientation to better understand the apprentices and determine who they may want to work alongside. In the application we ask how often the apprentice may want to be on site, and we account for that in our location assignments as well.
- What do Apprentices do?: Apprentices may be asked to help mix colors, paint using brushes, paint using spray paint, help set up the mural site, help clean up the mural site at the end of the day, and work alongside the mural artist. After past mural festivals, apprentices have reported that they met new friends, expanded their artist network, felt inspired to create their own mural project, and/or they learned how to use a new technique or medium. The experience is what the individual makes of it! Let's Paint Ti!
ELIGIBILITY
Depending on the muralist’s style and comfort-level, apprentices may be asked to paint, help set up, assist in various on-site tasks, and participate in Walls Between Waters events. This is a volunteer opportunity for artists of all abilities aged 18 or older. Some experience with painting and/or spray painting is encouraged, but not required. Only individuals who reside in Essex County or a residing county are eligible to apply for the Mural Apprentice Program. Apprentices need to provide their own transport. We understand that work and life may impact an apprentice’s ability to commit to an entire week of volunteering; Apprentices are not required to be on site at all times but are asked to make a best effort to help the artist as frequently as they are able. Apprentices (or their parent/guardian) will sign an indemnification agreement, a hold harmless waiver, and a photo release waiver.
o Applicant must be 18 or older, OR have parental permission
o Applicant must reside in, or near, Essex County, NY
o Applicant MUST be able to volunteer some hours to this apprentice program during Walls Between Waters mural festival
Deadline to apply: May 1, 2026
Questions about this program should be directed to Alex Hall.
email: AHPSConsulting@gmail.com