40 North and the Urbana Park District invite muralists to submit an application to develop a mural depicting the likeness of Jettie Rhodes on the Jettie Rhodes Pavilion at King Park in Urbana. Submissions must be received by 11:59pm on Monday, March 9.
PROJECT DETAILS
Jettie Rhodes was born in Mississippi, and moved to Urbana with her husband in search of a better future. Once settled, she got involved with local organizations to uplift marginalized communities across Urbana. Her efforts and involvement in the community sparked a larger conversation about community and civic engagement, which Mrs. Rhodes summarized with one question: “Who’s your neighbor?” This question prompted reflection on how well residents knew one another, their local public officials, and how to advocate for change in their neighborhoods.
Mrs. Rhodes envisioned a day dedicated to bringing families, neighbors, and local leaders together in celebration and connection. This vision became Jettie Rhodes Neighborhood Day, an annual event held at King Park in partnership with the Urbana Park District. Mrs. Rhodes passed away before the inaugural event in June 1998, but her legacy lived on—championed by her devoted family and community. Jettie Rhodes Neighborhood Day is now an annual tradition that draws hundreds of attendees.
This project should celebrate the life and legacy of Jettie Rhodes through a mural that communicates her values and vision for her community: to create a safe, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all families. This mural will also augment the larger African American Heritage Trail project in Champaign County led by Experience Champaign-Urbana (ECU).
Application Requirements:
Artists are responsible for the entire mural execution and associated costs, including but not limited to: all paint and materials, any necessary equipment rental, and hiring and paying assistants if needed. All applicants will be notified by email of the final artist selection. The selected artist will develop a mural design and work with 40 North and the Urbana Park District to approve a final layout and establish a timeline for completing the mural.
The project shall be executed on “Work-for-Hire” basis and all copyrights shall belong exclusively to the Urbana Park District without exception. The selected artist will be compensated in two installments. The first payment, paid upon contract, will include the design fee, and cost to cover project mobilization and materials. The second payment will pay the balance of the fee upon final acceptance of the mural installation. The mural will have an overall budget of $12,000. This budget must cover all expenses and the selected artist will be responsible for facilitating all expenses.
To be considered, applicants must include the following:
· Small portfolio (5-8 images) of past mural works (preferred) or non-mural works most similar to the project.
· For each artwork, please provide title, media, dimensions, year produced, budget, and location.
· Artist statement: including biography, website, and/or social media
· Submit a preliminary budget- be sure to include any equipment rentals, materials, assistant fees (if any) and any other expenses.
LOCATION
The mural will be located on the east wall of the Jettie Rhodes Pavilion in King Park. The mural will be approximately 280 square feet in size.
SELECTION CRITERIA
· Artist resides in Illinois
· Artistic excellence and originality
· Artist’s experience with public mural(s)
· Artist’s ability to produce work that speaks to the spirit of Jettie Rhodes
· Artist's ability to meet overall project budget requirements
· Artist's ability to complete the project by end of install period
PROJECT TIMELINE
· January 2026: Call for Portfolios Opens
· March 9, 2026: Application Closes
· Week of March 23, 2026: Jury Review
· Late March: Artist Selection, Notification and Execution of formal “Work for Hire” Agreement for initial mural design and production
· May 2026: Artist begins mural
· June 20, 2026: Mural completed
If you have questions, please contact 40 North at:
Phone: 217.351.9841
Email: kwhite@40north.org