In this episode I give tips on how to find the best mural artist for your project. There are three steps to finding the best mural artist for your project:

Step 1: Write a creative brief. 

Step 2: Do a local and online search.

Step 3: Reach out to your top choice artists. 

Step 1: Write a creative brief

You should include:

• Goal of the mural. What do you want to achieve by putting up a mural?

• Site description. What are the dimensions of the mural (height and width, depth if applicable)? Where will the mural be? Is it indoors or outdoors? What is the surface of the wall? Will the artist need a lift to access the wall?

• Collect inspiration. Do some research and find at least three visuals that show your vision for the mural. Think about color palette, theme, composition, and style. Some of my favorite sites to look for inspiration are Brooklyn Street Art, Hyperallergic, Colossal, and Pinterest.

• What do you not want? Write down or collect images of what you don't want to see in the mural. If there is a specific color, word, or subject matter you do not want in the mural, be sure to include that.

• Budget. What is the minimum and maximum you are able to pay for this mural? This should include a portion that will cover the artist's design or proposal. It can also include materials, lift, and anything else the artist might need to complete the project, if it doesn't make sure you know how much money you have for those things. If you aren’t sure how much to pay an artist, read this post.

• Deadline. When would you like the project to be done? Are there any site restrictions or details that would make it hard for this deadline to be met? Make sure to set a realistic timeline based on the restrictions of your site.
  
  

Put everything together in one document and make sure to include visuals.

Step 2: Do a local and internet search

Once you have made a creative brief, you are ready to start searching for artists.

The reason you want to do a creative brief first is that it will help you have a more effective search. If you start looking for an artist before you know what you are even looking for, it will be easier to get off track and start conversations with artists before you are ready, or before you know the specifications of the project.

Unless you have a budget to pay for airfare, lodging, and meals for an out-of-town artist, you will probably be looking for a local artist to design and paint you mural.

You can start by walking around your neighborhood and looking at murals that you see. Most mural artists sign their work, so take down the name of the artist if you like the mural.

Next, look online for local arts organizations, galleries, and mural festivals. For example, you can use Google and search: "art organizations name of city/town" or "name of city/town murals" or "name of city/town public art". Most local art organizations and state art commissions will have lists of artists that often link to the artists' websites. From there, you can go to the artist's website and see if their work fits the look and feel fo the type of mural you would like. Many cities have public art directories where you can see past projects and the artists who created them.

You can also email your local arts organization and ask if they know any local mural artists. 

You can also look on sites like Thumbtack or even NextDoor or Craigslist to see if there are any mural artists in your area available for hire.

Make sure when you are searching, you record the following for each artists you are interested in: Name, website, email, a few samples of their work.

Don't have time to do a search or feeling overwhelmed? Hire me to search for you! For $500 I'll give you a list of 6 local artists would be great for your project.

Step 3: Reach out to your top choice artists 

Once you've done your search, narrow down your list of artists and pick your top three. You can now reach out to these artists and see if they are interested in working on your project.

When reaching out, make sure to let them know where the mural will be, the dimensions, budget, deadline, and any extraordinary factors about your site or desired mural (like if it's only open at night, or if you want the mural to include AR).

You'll also want to check the artists references or reviews. If you can't find these online, ask the artist to send you a few references/past clients they've worked with who you can reach out to.

If the artist is interested, you can then share your full creative brief and start the process of hiring the artist.

So how do you hire a mural artist? I'll be covering that in my next video so check back soon!

In the meantime, watch my interview with artist Sofía Maldonado who shares how she does site-specific mural commissions and more!

Have you recently hired a mural artist?  Share your own experience in the comments below!

Looking for a mural artist? We can help! Check out our Distill Creative art consulting services.

Your Host | Stephanie Eche, CEO & Founder of Distill Creative

Stephanie Eche is an artist and art consultant based in Brooklyn, NYC.
Follow Stephanie on Instagram (@distillcreative or @stephanie_eche), Twitter (@stephanie_eche), YouTube (Distill Creative), LinkedIn, and check out her art website.

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