Civil rights and social justice have taken center stage recently with more open dialogue being encouraged and more action being taken. 

In an effort to reflect that conversation, the City of Fort Wayne is combining the recent push for more public art with the intention to better reflect the diversity of our community.

Faces of the Fort, based on a similar effort in Atlanta, will commission two murals which will reflect the local story of civil rights and, as expressed in a press release last week, the hope is to reflect on our history while encouraging more inclusivity.

“Faces of the Fort aims to increase awareness of community stories by promoting understanding, interaction, and a more robust culture of civic engagement,” said Réna Bradley, Faces of the Fort committee chair. “Faces of the Fort celebrates the rich history of Fort Wayne’s residents and their unique backgrounds, stories, and perspectives.”

The call for submissions said, “Artists are invited to submit their qualifications and will be selected by a committee comprised of two members of the Fort Wayne Public Art Commission, a designee from Arts United, a designee from the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, residents of each of the City’s four quadrants, two art professionals, a representative from the African/African-American Historical Society, a representative from Amani Family Services, and a representative from the LGBTQ Community.”

Two artists will be chosen based on technical ability. But the design itself will be determined after the artists receive input from the community so that the design itself will be a collaborative effort to be executed by the two artists. The locations have yet to be determined. The artists will receive a budget of $10,000 each.

Info can be found at fwcommunitydevelopment.org/artprojects. The deadline for artists to submit their qualifications is July 5.