Arts Commission Seeks DEI-Centric Artwork for New Exhibition Space at Community Center
One of the enriching elements to come out of Mill Valley’s long overdue reckoning around racial injustice was a surge in public art that educated our community about the history of racial inequity – globally, nationally, in California and in Marin – in the past and now.
That art included local artist Wesley Cabral‘s mural “Heroes,” celebrating the late Rep. John Lewis and actor Chadwick Boseman, as well as his “Heroines” mural, featuring voting and women’s rights activist and civil rights movement leader Fannie Lou Hamer and Marsha P. Johnson, born and also known as Malcolm Michaels Jr., an American gay liberation activist and self-identified drag queen who was an outspoken advocate for gay rights and one of the prominent figures in the Stonewall uprising of 1969. The mural also features the words of writer and civil rights activist Audrey Lorde.
The “Heroes” mural celebration came amidst an absolute surge of conscious activism and artistic energy in Mill Valley that galvanized the community, from youth-fueled long overdue conversations on racial equity and policing in Mill Valley to a blossoming of inspired art. Zoe Fry was on hand for that event to expand on the group art project she led featuring a trio of free-standing doors in the Depot Plaza as a way to promote racial justice, with each door built around a timeline of racial inequity and systemic racism.
The Mill Valley Arts Commission is looking to build on that surge of active artwork built around the theme of diversity, equity and inclusion by seeking and accepting artwork to display in the spaces in and around the Mill Valley Aquatics and Fitness Center, part of the Mill Valley Community Center at 180 Camino Alto.
Artists must live in the Bay Area. Priority will be given to artists who live in Marin. All 2D artwork will be considered. Jewelry and 3D artwork will not be accepted.
Exhibits will be hung for a minimum of one month (exhibit duration may increase based on need and scheduling). Opening receptions are typically held for each new exhibit, and are part of the Mill Valley Arts Commission’s monthly ArtWalks. Artists will upload in jpeg format 6 examples of the artwork they intend to hang representing the type and range of the art that would be included in the show. Each artist must be able to mount a show of at least 6 pieces of artwork (maximum number of pieces of artwork allowed per exhibit depends on artwork dimensions).
The deadline to submit is noon on Sept. 23. To apply, GO HERE.