About Mural Program

The Community Mural Program (CMP) is a nationally recognized Mural/Public Art program that strives to identify, train and mobilize artistically inclined youth, adult and elder residents of our community to create murals / public art pieces within this impoverished community. The CMP is based on a crew system where a Laed Muralist / Designer is teamed with 4-6 Hard Core Crew Members. Lead Muralists / Designers are artistically talented community residents or are former Hard Core Crew Members who have gained enough experience to lead there own mural projects. The Hard Core Crew Members are area youth or adults with an interest in art who are recruited through word-of-mouth or at school presentations.

The crew system ensures that the mural project does not solely create murals for “art’s sake”, but teaches community artists the skills necessary to perpetuate this art form throughout their community. The mural process encourages participants of different ages, communities and socio-economic backgrounds to collaborate, develop friendships, and learn from each other while developing their humanistic, life, and art skills. The crew collaborates and works together on all stages of mural planning and preparation. Additional community members may participate in the presentation and painting stages. The mural process ensures that the mural project does not solely create public art spaces, but serves as a tool for fostering human and community development.   

The CMP has completed 25 murals and currently has 4 new murals in various phases of the mural process. Through their work with our mural program, participants become encouraged to continue their education after high school. One former mural participant, Rigo Luna, who completed his first mural as a Lead Muralist / Designer while in high school, went on to study at the Pratt Institute of Art & Design in Brooklyn, NY.

To get involved with Community Mural Program, please contact Mural Program Coordinator, Jane Madrigal at 226-7466 / jmadrigal@sananto.org.

Mural Program Guidelines

Mural Coordinator

Under general supervision, the Community Mural Program Coordinator is responsible for implementation, management and coordination of all aspects of the Community Mural Program. The mural program coordinator’s ultimate responsibility is to ensure that the Community Mural Program adheres to the policies, mission statement and goals & objectives set forth by San Anto Cultural Arts, Inc. The mural coordinator should follow these guidelines: all phases of the production of each mural should serve as an educational tool for youth/adult participants of the mural project; each mural should be a reflection/paradigm of pro-active, community involvement in the creation of public art; in order to ensure perpetuation and self-sufficiency of future murals, the ultimate goal is to allow for youth/adult residents to gain enough experience/training in the mural process, that they become the creators, lead artists, facilitators of future murals.

Lead Muralist / Designer

Alongside and with supervision of the Mural Coordinator, the Lead Muralist / Designer is responsible for all aspects of individual mural projects with respect to San Anto Cultural Arts Mural Program Process. The purpose of the Lead Muralist / Designer within the SACA Mural Program is to empower/train community residents, who have innate artistic ability, and have not had the opportunity to develop and showcase that ability, with the skills to develop community murals or public art. The Lead Muralist / Designer will/must learn how to communicate and work with a certain community or neighborhood to create murals or public art that reflect social issues, cultural awareness, history, and artistic preservation/excellence. Lead Muralist / Designers are youth and adult community residents with or without mural experience. Lead Muralist / Designers may be former mural crew members or hard core crew members on previous projects. Lead Muralist / Designers are not required to have any mural experience, but must abe to draw from a natural sense of creativity and artistic expression (i.e. realistic drawing/painting and design, sketching, graffiti, folk art, paño arte, tattoos, sculpture,tile work, yard/garden art). Lead Muralist / Designers are responsible for working with a Hard Core Mural Crew on all aspects of mural the SACA Mural Process; as well as with Volunteer Mural Crew Members, Community Residents and Wall Owners.

Hard Core Mural Crew

4-6 inexperienced/experienced youth or adult community residents, recruited through the SACA Mural Program by the Mural Coordinator, Lead Muralist, or by word-of-mouth or through presentations/workshops, who possess artistic skills, who want to develop their natural skills as an artist and have an interest in being active with the development of murals/public art within their neighborhoods. With supervision of Mural Coordinator and Lead Designers, Hard core Mural Crew Members are responsible for learning and having a pro-active role in the research, design, implementation/installation/completion and process of mural/public art piece. Hard core Mural Crew Members must be thorough in their commitment to the development and completion of each mural/public art piece and adhere to the schedules of workshops, research sessions, and mural/public art implementation and completion as set by the Lead Muralist / Designer. Hard Core Mural Crew Members may be promoted to Lead Muralist / Designer on a future project. In this case, and if the Lead Muralist / Designer is a teenager/s, the Lead Muralist / Designer will work alongside the Mural Coordinator in all stages of SACA’s mural process. Lead Muralists / Designers /Hard core Core Mural Crew Members must work with and train Volunteer Mural Crew Members on all aspects of Mural/Public Art implementation process.

Mural Crew Volunteers

Mural Crew Volunteers can be anyone from anywhere, with or without artistic ability or experience, who want to experience the process of mural/public art development. Mural Crew Volunteers generally assist mural crew members, lead designers/hard core design team, mural facilitator or mural coordinator with general painting, equipment set-up/tear/down and maintenance, coordination of mural blessing and dedication ceremony, etc. People who need community service hours are encouraged to take advantage of this fun, educational and rewarding aspect of the mural project structure. Community residents can feel a sense of pride and ownership having taken part and contributed to the development and beautification of their barrios as Mural Volunteers.

Wall Owner

Wall owners are individuals or entities who own the property/wall of a potential mural/public art site. Property/wall owners must give full permission before any work begins on a project. Wall owners are asked to sign a letter of agreement stating their commitment to the preservation, maintenance, and promotion of mural and public art. Wall owners may be asked to help in the attainment of permission to paint murals on other neighborhood business walls. Wall owners may be asked to talk to other business owners about their experiences as partners in past mural projects. Wall owners can be invited as guest speakers at mural blessing and dedication ceremonies, in order to further promote to positive outcomes (graffiti deterant, business promotion, gives opportunity for them to collaborate with schools, community organizations, etc.).

Collaborators

Collaborators can be schools, community organizations, community businesses, community residents that partner with specific mural projects - Coordinator, Facilitator, Lead Designer/Hard Core Design team - to develop ideas, themes, and research processes in the creation of murals/public art. Collaborators are important because they give professional and experiential insight on certain socio-histories, issues, and geo-artistic cultures.

Muralist-in-Residence-Project

The Muralist-In-Residence Project (MIRP) is an initiative of the San Anto Cultural Arts Community Mural Program aimed at providing established artists a forum to work with a neighborhood within the SACA Mural District to develop murals/public art (1 MIRP mural per year). The purpose of the MIRP is three-fold: 1) provide established artists much needed training and education in the process of the development of community-based murals/public art; 2) provide a forum for established artists to showcase their talent in a community / public venue; 3) give established artists the freedom to create murals/public art, in economically depressed areas of San Antonio, and that challenge conventional wisdom of the purpose and aesthetic of murals/public art.

The SACA Community Mural Program defines established artists as having: 1) at least 4 museum / community gallery exhibits - i.e., SAMA, McNay, Mexicarte, AMA, Blue Star, Gallista, Guadalupe, Esperanza, 1906, Centro Aztlan, etc. 2) 2 alternative exhibits - Saluté, Honey Factory, Ellis Bean, Tacoland, etc. 3) Profession Resume 4) Slides or disks of art work 5) Biography

Veterano (a) clause: Veteranos(as) who have been active artists for 15 years or more but who do not meet the above exhibit requirements, may submit a MIRP proposal. Artists who fall under the Veterano clause must still submit a resume, biography and slides/disk of art work.

The Muralist-In-Residence Project (MIRP) will address needs, concerns and opportunities facing our community on many levels. San Antonio and our country are blessed with an extraordinary number of established, talented artists. Many of these artists have little opportunity or skills to work with neighborhoods in the development/creation of murals/public art. The main focus and purpose of the MIRP is to provide established artists the opportunity to develop their talents/skills as it pertains to working pro-actively with a neighborhood, to develop murals/public art.

The Muralist-In-Residence will be chosen by Mural/Public Art Design Review Committee composed of the San Anto Cultural Arts Mural Program Coordinator, a neighborhood / community resident, a current or former project participant of the San Anto Cultural Arts Community Mural Project, Executive Director and a neutral, established San Antonio artist.

Projects will be located within the current boundaries of the SACA Community Mural Program Mural District – HWY 90 to the south; IH 35/10 to the east; Culebra St. to the North; Zarzamora St. to the West. A call-for-mural/public art-designs will be sent out to a list of pre-identified artists. The design review committee will then choose among the submissions which artist will be granted the Muralist-In-Residence position. The chosen artist will then work with the Mural Coordinator to develop the time-line and over-all project. The artist will be required to follow the San Anto Cultural Arts Community Mural Project Process - Mural Crew Formation, Site/Wall Selection, Mural Site Community Survey, Theme/Design Development, Initial Sketches, Final/Composite Sketches, Sketch Presentation to Design Review Committee, Sketch/Design Presentation to community, Site Prep., Mural/Public Art painting/installation, Mural/Public Art Dedication, Post-Project Evaluation Meeting, Post-Community Survey, Mural/Public Art Maintenance.

Although the Muralist-In-Residence will be required to adhere to the San Anto Cultural Arts Community Mural Program Process, the artist will be encouraged to be “non-studio” (work pro-actively with community) in the development of the mural/public art piece. Make-up of collaborators, partners and crew will ultimately be decided by the artist at the time of project initiation, with guidance from the San Anto Cultural Arts Mural Program Coordinator.

Mural Project Stipends

The SACA Mural Program offers stipends to Lead Muralists and / or Hard Core Crews as compensation for their contribution to the community where mural/public art piece is located. Amount of stipends will vary from year-to-year, based on the availability of funds of the SACA Mural Project budget.

Stipend Structure

Lead Muralist / Designer - $1,500 - All materials are supplied by SACA. Facilitator must follow guidelines and process of SACA Mural Program.

Lead Designer/Hard core Design Team - $1,500 - All materials are supplied by SACA. Designated Lead Designer will receive 40% of the total stipend. Hard core Design Team will split the remaining 60% of the stipend. For example - for a crew of one Lead Muralist / Designer and three Hard core Crew Members, the Lead Designer would receive $600 and the three Hard core Design Team Members would each get $300. Team must follow guide lines and process of SACA Mural Program.

Muralist-In-Residence - $1,500 - All materials are supplied by SACA. MIRP must follow guide lines and process of SACA Mural Program. Although MIRP’s are not mandated to work with a mural crew, we encourage artists to be fully aware of the benefits neighborhood youth will receive by working with an established artist through the passing down of knowledge, skills, experience, and an understanding of visual arts.The MIRP is eligible for a per diem based on SACA's availability of funds.

Contracts and Guidelines for Financial Disbursement to Muralists/Crew

All contracts for mural crews are designed individually with the lead artist. Lead artists will be awarded one-half of the designated stipend at the “half-way” mark (as defined below). The second half of the stipend will be paid upon the mural’s completion.

The half-way mark for a mural is successfully reached when an artist has conducted the survey, designated the sketch, had it reviewed by the SACA board, transferred the sketch onto the designated wall, determined the color scheme, and selected the paint. This two-stage plan for murals is designated to facilitate the completion of the wall by another crew in cases when projects are abandoned.

Determining Abandonment and Options Available for New Lead Artists

A wall will be considered abandoned when:

1) There have been four breeches of contract (such as “no shows” on days the artist contracted to work, or when an artist refuses to work with a crew when this was a con dition of the original contract).

2) The Executive Director has made two attempts to contact the lead artist either by phone or a home visit during this period of breach of contract and no reasonable excuse is offered by the artist.

3) A letter has been sent to the lead artist requiring the artist to respond within seven days of the letter’s postmark explaining the circumstances of the breach of contract, and no response has been delivered, or the given response has been determined insufficient.

These guidelines apply whether the mural is in the first or second half of production. No payment is given if the guidelines for “half-way” or full completion are not met.

These guidelines apply whether the mural is in the first or second half of production. No payment is given if the guidelines for “half-way” or full completion are not met.

Artists who assume the lead on an abandoned mural have three options:

1) they may continue with the original design.

2) alter the plan

3) or, completely restart

The available options here may be influenced by the amount of money left in the budget for the completion of the particular mural in question.

SACA Mural Process

This is a guide on the step-by-step process that San Anto Cultural Arts has developed over several years alongside with numerous artists and community participants. It was developed as a tool for community empowerment, in which a community becomes involved in the creation of a mural that is reflective and inspiring. There will be variances with each project, but it is encouraged to adhere to this specific order. It should also be understood that if the Lead Artist/Designer is working with a mural crew, the crew should be involved in every aspect of mural production.

1. MURAL CREW FORMATION

There are several ways to recruit crew members: post flyers throughout neighborhood; presentations at schools, community centers, word-of-mouth

A mural crew generally consists of one Lead Muralist /Designer and four to six Hard Core Crew Members. More experienced mural project participants and artists are encouraged to be crew members.

2. WALL SELECTION

survey local neighborhood or campus for a wall with plenty of visibility.

consider the position of the sun, especially if the mural will be painted during the summer.

check wall surface for cracks, chipped paint, water damage, loose bricks, loose mortar and water tracks.

consider tactile surface, ex: smooth vs. rough

research age and structural condition of building

be aware or pedestrian and street traffic

examine graffiti activity in the area

check for possible difficulties in setting up scaffolding

involve the owner in the design development document wall dimensions: figure wall square footage

3. MURAL SITE COMMUNITY SURVEY

This is an essential step in the mural process because it’s important that San Anto Cultural Arts and the murals that we sponsor are in accordance with community beliefs and ideologies. We hope that each of our murals remains in place for a very long time and that the community that sees the murals every day feels comfortable with and appreciate the images portrayed in each mural.

The survey can be written as a general questionnaire

The survey should ask specifically what images inspire or reflect their community

Once the questionnaire is finished, survey the community door-to-door where the mural is to be created

Document all information that residents express

Invite them to get involved in the mural painting

Document t survey process: photos, video

4. THEME DEVELOPMENT

Review community questionnaires

Brainstorm on themes that relate to the community: neighborhood history, social issues, historic events, musical and artistic history of community, etc.

Brainstorm to develop images that illustrate the chosen theme.

5. INITIAL SKETCHES

With documented wall dimensions scale down measurements for sketches, make sure to be as accurate as possible ( ex: for every 1 ft. scale down to 1/2 in.)

Take note of building attributes such as windows and gutter downspouts.

Compose thematic images

Produce several basic sketches

6. FINALIZE AND COMPOSE SKETCHES

Review all sketches

Pick one sketch or compose images from different sketches into one final design

Complete one final sketch that includes details and color correctly grid scaled sketch and label squares

Make copies of sketch gridded sections

7. SKETCH PRESENTATION TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

This is not that intimidating as it seems, it is just an informative connection with the SACA’s board of directors

Mount color copy of sketch on to mattboard

Include one page written description of mural design

8. SKETCH PRESENTATION TO COMMUNITY

Prepare a one-sided flyer that has a small graphic of the mural design along with a bi-lingual written description of the mural design.

Use the mounted color copy of sketch on mattboard during survey

When surveying community make sure to contact residents who participated in the previous questionnaire

Invite community to the mural painting

9. OBTAIN MATERIALS

Review and obtain items from the materials list

Review color selections and determine amount to be used with the Mural Project Coordinator. The Mural Project Coordinator must be involved in this process

Depending on the main colors of the mural (cool vs. warm) ask paint dealer to color mix primer ( for warm use a light magenta and for cool use a light blue). This color addition to the primer will help the wall not be as bright when working. It also acts as a color ground to work off in color blending.

Keep records of all color codes and paint swatch examples

Get key copies for the mural shed

10. PREPARING MURAL SITE

Depending on what condition of the mural site is, make sure all materials and equipment and on hand before prepping the wall

Scrape wall with spatulas and wire brushes until ALL loose paint chips are removed

Pressure wash the entire wall surface, make sure to apply concentrated pressure on necessary areas until ALL loose paint chips are removed

With the hand pump pressure washer add anti-fungal solution (JoMax) and treat mural wall, make sure to follow directions noted on solution package. Run pressure washer once more, make sure to be thorough as possible

Allow wall to dry over night following day, primer the wall with water-based stain-blocking primer

Make sure that the primer coat is even and has covered all exposed wall surfaces

11. MURAL PAINTING

This step actually as some sub-steps so hang-on.

Sketch transferal:

There are several ways to transfer your mural sketch to the wall. Two are very popular: 1) using an opaque projector; a scaled down gridded sketch. We will cover the scaled down gridded sketch method.

Use the grided sketch and its scaled measurements as your reference guide

Measure the wall’s 1/2 mark and 1/4 marks ( and into 1/8ths if necessary, horizontally and vertically

Using your chalk line snap these lines in

Once all your lines are done label your squares

Start drawing in your sketch with pencils (pencils are the authors choice but you can use other drawing media if desired)

The drawing on the wall from now on will be called the cartoon

ALWAYS WORK FROM TOP TO BOTTOM AND FROM LEFT TO RIGHT

Make sure to visually predict if your sketch will transfer well

If there are any discrepancies in proportions and scale, it is mostly due to your first measurements in scaling your sketch. If it happens try to work around it as much as possible. If it still seems like it won’t work redo the entire sketch and get the right measurements. ITS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY

If you did it right then pat yourself on the back

Make sure you do the entire cartoon first before painting in sections Using one color, paint the penciled cartoon lines

Painting:

During this portion of work it is advisable to delegate responsibilities to the mural crew

This is the best time to invite local community participants to get involved in the mural painting process

It is a good idea to color swatch each area of the cartoon, sort of like a paint-by-numbers coloring book

Once all the empty areas of the cartoon are swatched, you can instruct the community participants to fill in the areas according to the swatches

Make sure to monitor the participants, it never fails where someone gets confused, this is where your crew comes in handy

Remind community participants to keep clean and respect materials at all times

Document all community participants

Detail:

Touch-up all areas that need it

This section of the work will be executed by the lead artist and the mural crew

Start again from top to bottom and from left to right

Detail all areas of the design

During the detail painting make sure to step back several feet every now and then to review the mural progress

Once all details are done, review the entire mural several times to make sure that all areas of the design are complete

Seal:

Using a sealant coat to preserve the mural

There are several types of sealant, even some that help out with graffiti, check with your paint dealer for more product information.

12. MURAL DEDICATION

Refer to the mural dedication ‘hit list’

When referring to the list remember to always include community participants in the mural dedication planning.

13. POST-MURAL EVALUATION MEETING

This meeting functions as a way to evaluate the entire project with the mural crew.

Encourage the mural crew to bring up any issues that affected the mural project.

Allow for crew members to create solutions for any issues that had negative impacts in conjunction with mural production.

Acknowledge all of the positives within group

Video document this meeting

14. POST-COMMUNITY SURVEY

This survey should be specially prepared by the mural crew to get a response from the local community on the changes to their environment due to the creation of the new mural.

Refer to the first survey for cooperating residents

Document everything

15. MURAL MAINTENANCE

Mural maintenance happens throughout the life of the mural. The one thing that should be taken care of is the graffiti problems and dirt.

Depending on the sealant that was used you can treat graffiti as directed by the sealant label.

If you just want to cover the graffiti with paint, then you need to make sure that you keep track of color codes and even have extra paints on hand.

As for dirt here are some ideas: wash down with a sponge mop, use basic wash soap; spray down lightly with pressure washer, don’t apply to much pressure or you wont have a mural anymore; hose down with a waterhose

Be conscious of color fading, its a good idea to refer to a color photo when the mural was freshly finished. If it is faded, re-color areas that have faded. Again, if you use industrial quality paint you most likely will not run into these problems early on.

Que viva muralismo en San Anto!

C/S