Lansing, Michigan
Tri-County Regional Planning Commission — “ArtStorm 2025” Storm Drain Mural Project

Presented by the Arts Council of Greater Lansing on behalf of Tri-County Regional Planning Commission and the Greater Lansing Regional Committee for Stormwater Management, with funding from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council

Call for Artist
SUBMISSION OPEN: March 7, 2025
DEADLINE: April 30, 2025, 11:59 p.m.

The Tri-County Regional Planning Commission (Tri-County), in partnership with the Arts Council of Greater Lansing, is pleased to announce a call for artists to submit work to be part of the “ArtStorm 2025” Storm Drain Mural Project! Tri-County invites individual artists and artist teams to submit proposals for a public art project designed to raise awareness about the importance of keeping storm drains clear. Selected artist(s) will create vibrant, engaging murals on 17 storm drains across Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties to educate the public on protecting our waterways. Each chosen artist or artist team will be compensated $500 for each storm drain mural completed with paint provided (see figure 1 below). Each storm drain must be completed within the 12-week timeframe outlined below.

Location:

Artists will paint murals surrounding storm drain infrastructure (drains, catch basins, inlets) in the 17 Greater Lansing Regional Committee for Stormwater Management (GLRC) member communities below. GLRC members will choose drains near parks, malls, libraries, and other high-trafficked pedestrian areas.

• City of DeWitt
• ​City of East Lansing
• ​City of Grand Ledge
• ​City of Lansing
• ​City of Mason
• ​Clinton County Drain Com.
• ​Clinton County Road Com.
• ​Delhi Charter Township
• ​Delta Charter Township
• ​DeWitt Charter Township
• ​Eaton County Drain Com.
• ​Ingham County Drain Com.
• ​Lansing Charter Township
• ​Lansing School District
• ​Meridian Township
• ​Michigan State University
• ​Waverly Community Schools

Project Goals

The “ArtStorm 2025” educational initiative helps all GLRC members meet the requirements of their federal National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, which all municipal separate storm sewer system communities, or MS4s, must meet to regulate the discharge of stormwater into our waterways. By engaging artists to complete this project, the group strives to:

• encourage environmental stewardship by reminding the public that storm drains lead directly to local rivers and streams;
• create eye-catching, educational public art that enhances community spaces; and
• engage local artists in a meaningful public awareness campaign.

Who Can Apply?

The artists selected must be 18 years of age or older, and priority will be given to residents of the Tri-County region of Clinton, Eaton, and Ingham counties. Submission considerations include original 2-dimensional artwork that follows the theme of safe waterways only. Creativity in interpreting that theme is welcome.

Project Details:

• At least two (2) artists will be chosen to paint all 17 mural locations.
• Each selected artist/team will be assigned their storm drain location(s). You will be given an opportunity to give your location preferences in the application.
• Murals must incorporate messaging about keeping storm drains clear and protecting local waterways.
• Designs must be engaging, family-friendly, and not used for promotional purposes.
• To ensure longevity of each piece, artists will be provided with paint appropriate for road surfaces and should consider this in the design. Available paint colors are shown in Figure 1 below.
  

  Fig. 1 Paint colors available for painting murals. This product is specifically designed to withstand harsh weather conditions, including those that affect storm drain areas.

Review Process

Arts Council and Tri-County staff, along with members of GLRC, will review submissions and notify applicants the week of May 5, 2025, regarding selections for the “ArtStorm 2025” Storm Drain Mural Project.

Selection Criteria

• Quality of artwork submitted
• Creativity used in creating image/artwork
• Ability to demonstrate the project-specific theme
• Suitability of artwork for a public art display

Submission Information

The Arts Council of Greater Lansing uses Slideroom, a digital application and selection process online. Full application information can be found at https://lansingarts.slideroom.com/#/permalink/program/83273/rPpiZcD7GT

Artist Stipend:

Selected artists will receive a stipend of $500 per storm drain for materials (paint brushes, drop cloths, etc) and labor. Paint will be provided.

Deadline for Submission: April 30, 2025, 11:59 p.m.

Lansingarts.slideroom.com will not accept applications after this time. Incomplete applications will not be accepted by the system.

Tentative Schedule

March 7: Application opens

April 30, 2025, 11:59 p.m.: Application closes

Week of May 5: Review of submissions

Week of May 5: Selected artist notified with project schedule

May 12 – July 31: Artists complete storm drain murals

July 31, 2025: Project complete

Contact

If you have questions about this project, please contact Meghan Martin at meghan@lansingarts.org or (517) 853-7581.

Tri-County reserves the right to reject any or all applications, to reissue the Call for Entries, or to terminate the selection process or project at any time without prior notice.