About Us: Brooklyn Bridge Manhattan Inc., doing business as Gotham Park (“Gotham Park”), is a New York not-for-profit corporation dedicated to reopening, revitalizing, and activating underutilized public space beneath the Manhattan side of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. In partnership with community stakeholders and New York City agencies, Gotham Park is transforming these spaces into a vibrant, community-led public realm that fosters connection, resilience, joy, discovery, and wonder. Located at the crossroads of several dynamic Lower Manhattan neighborhoods, including Chinatown and the Lower East Side, Gotham Park serves as a growing hub for public programming, stewardship, and community engagement. As part of its 2026 vision, Gotham Park is expanding opportunities for multigenerational volunteerism, cultural activation, wellness programming, and neighborhood-based partnerships.
Background: In partnership with Trinity Church, Gotham Park invites artists to submit proposals for a fully funded community art activation to take place at Gotham Park. This opportunity is intended to support the design and implementation of a public-facing mural project that invites participation and reflects the values of community connection, local engagement, and creative placemaking. The activation is expected to take place at one of two proposed sites within Gotham Park: the basketball courts or the shuffleboard courts. Selected artists will be responsible for developing a mural concept in advance and, depending on the scope of work, either facilitating a structured, paint-by-numbers style engagement with volunteers from Trinity Church or independently executing an original mural on-site. Artists selected for a participatory installation will also be responsible for preparing the mural surface in advance so that it is ready for activation on the event date. Compensation includes an artist fee of $2,000 and a materials budget of up to $1,000, with a detailed materials breakdown required as part of the proposal.
Scope of Work: Gotham Park is seeking artist proposals across two distinct scopes of work. Applicants may apply for one scope of work ONLY and must clearly indicate in their submission which opportunity they are applying for.
Scope of Work 1: Participatory Mural Activation Artist
The selected artist will design and lead a community-driven mural activation using a structured, paint-by-numbers format. This scope includes developing the mural concept, preparing the wall surface in advance, and facilitating a painting experience for approximately 20 to 30 volunteers during the activation event. MEASUREMENT: 67.8 in wide x 74 in high
Scope of Work 2: Independent Mural Artist
The selected artist will design and execute an original mural on a separate wall in coordination with the activation event. This work will be completed independently by the artist and will take place alongside the participatory mural activation. MEASUREMENT: 30 ft 3 in wide x 160 in high
Proposals should align with one or more of the following thematic priorities: community engagement and equitable access to public space; environmental resilience and sustainability; youth and family programming; public health and wellness; and placemaking and urban design reflective of local communities. Gotham Park and Trinity Church anticipate selecting one artist for each scope of work and reserve the right to make selections in a manner that best serves the goals of the project.
Selection Process: Applications will be reviewed by a selection panel comprised of representatives from Gotham Park, including members of its Board of Directors, in coordination with Trinity Church. Applicants not selected for this activation may be considered for future mural and public art opportunities at Gotham Park.
Schedule of Dates:
Questions Submission Deadline: June 10, 2026 (submit to info@gothampark.org with the subject line: “[First Name, Last Name] Trinity Church Mural Activation Questions”)
Application Deadline: July 3 2026
Notifications Sent: July 23, 2026
Activation Event Window: Late August through early September 2026, with the activation event taking place on a Saturday or Sunday.
Please note that all paint and materials must be VOC-free.
Please note that selected artists will be required to enter into an agreement with Gotham Park setting forth the scope of work, payment terms, and other standard terms and conditions prior to beginning work.