Background
Manningham Uniting Church (MUC) has redeveloped its Templestowe site to create a new Manningham Uniting Church & Community Centre. The purpose of this new MUC & Community Centre is to be a truly inclusive, welcoming, safe place where people can be who they are, find connection, discover meaning, offer their experiences and learn from others. It welcomes the community as equal partners in the daily sharing of its spaces and offers options for positive and meaningful interactions across generations.
The centre offers numerous flexible spaces and will actively strive to encompass broad participation of diverse members and cohorts of the local community (individuals, groups, not-for-profits, business). This MUC & Community Centre connects with two existing heritage listed spaces – a 1897 timber church and a 1962 brick church.
The centre stretches from Atkinson Street through to Wood Street with a drive through and pedestrian access along its western boundary.
A five-part mural is planned along the western boundary concrete retaining wall and timber paling fence. MUC wishes to incorporate community engagement of identified local community groups in the design phase of the project as a way of honouring this new centre’s vision and intention to be a truly vibrant, inclusive, shared community place. MUC acknowledges that the site is on Wurundjeri land and thus wished to emphasise this with some prominent indigenous art as the central part of the mural. Indigenous artist Robert Young has already completed this section.
This mural project is intended to be a reflection of existing community relationships and a desire for further dialogue, listening to story and building of relationships with the identified community groups involved.
What MUC is seeking
MUC is seeking interest from community and visual artists to design (including community engagement with already identified community groups) and install 4-parts of the 5-part mural.
The murals will be located on the concrete retaining wall and paling fence along the site’s western boundary, it is a prominent visual feature from the drive through and from within the glazed foyer. It stretches some 60 metres and small garden beds have been planted along the base and top of the wall. (See attached photo of the wall)
The wall will be divided into 5 mural parts, each part representing a different community group’s depiction on the theme. indigenous mural design is the central one along the wall and brick garage opposite the main entry to the foyer of the building. The other four parts of the mural will accompany this indigenous design (2 on each side) with engagement from a variety of community groups and cohorts on the same central theme.
Collaboration between artists is welcomed.
Theme for the overall Mural
Our overall theme is “Community”.
Community engagement in design concept
MUC has identified 4 community groups, one for each of the following focus areas Intergenerational; Environment / Sustainability; Asylum Seekers and Refugees; Social Justice and Equity. It is envisaged that through community engagement and consultation each will provide a unique interpretation of the theme.
Community engagement with the identified groups will be facilitated by the artist and MUC Volunteers.
Dimensions
The entire mural area is 60 metres long x 1.2m high. It is proposed to be divided into 5 parts in the following way:
- Indigenous art central to the wall spanning 26m long x 1.2m high, with the addition of the exposed brick wall of the neighbouring garage.
- 4 x community mural designs 2 on either side of the Indigenous art each measuring 8m long x 1.2m high, and the 1800mm paling fence.
- We would be open to creatively including areas outside the concrete wall and timber paling fence boundaries e.g. the ground and garden beds.
Medium & Materials
MUC would be looking for an approved exterior grade paint, namely a primer, a water-based acrylic colour coat and anti-graffiti paint to be used in the installation of the design.
MUC welcomes the consideration of incorporating other creative elements in the mural such as 3D elements, integrated work with the garden bed, interactive elements, glow paint, discovery elements.
Applications
- Interested artists are invited to send an Expression of Interest, including;
- Who you are and your interest in the project
- Experience or involvement in public art projects, particularly murals.
- Experience in work involving consultation / engagement with Community groups
- Examples of recent art work
Anticipated Time Schedule
- Close of EOIs 19th Nov 2021
- Artist/s appointed mid-December 2021
- Consultations with Community groups February/ March 2022
- Concepts ready for presentation by end of April 2022
- Work completed end of June 2022
Artist Fees
- Community Engagement – $2,400
- Design and Installations – $15,000 including materials
Closing Date for EOI 19th November 2021
EOI should be submitted to
Emma Hanna emma.hanna@manninghamuc.org, 9846 2012
