Chattanooga, TN (Nov. 2, 2021) – EPB and our partners invite local artists to submit bids for the second side of our EPB community mural project along 10th Street. The central theme for this year’s mural is “Voices of MLK” to highlight the history, heritage and significance of Downtown Chattanooga’s Martin Luther King Boulevard area. The open call ends at 5 p.m. on January 10, 2022.

“We’re proud that 100% of the selected submissions from the first year of our project were from minority and/or women artists, including some of them being first time muralists,” said Elizabeth Hammitt, EPB Director of Environmental Stewardship and Residential Energy Solutions. “We’re hoping to receive submissions from a diverse group of artists again. This is an opportunity for them to make their mark on our city that will be enjoyed by locals, visitors and future generations.”

The murals will be painted on panels along the second side of the EPB substation fence on 10th Street. This year, the mural will face Foster Street, and up to 11 panels in several different sizes are available.

The project committee will choose up to 11 murals in total. Members of the committee represent EPB and other project partners: ArtsBuild, Association of Visual Arts, Bessie Smith Cultural Center, City of Chattanooga’s Public Art Chattanooga, Chattanooga Community Kitchen, MLK Neighborhood Association, RISE Chattanooga, River City Company, Urban League of Greater Chattanooga and University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.

“ArtsBuild is excited to again be part of the EPB Mural project. Not only is this program a great way to support artists, it brings so much vibrancy to the neighborhood we call home,” said James McKissic, President of ArtsBuild.

“In alignment with the historical significance of the MLK district, our desire is to showcase the talents of artists of color,” said Vickye Bone with the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga. “We are committed to supporting organizations like EPB who facilitate these opportunities focused on intentional inclusion of all in our community.”

Artists must be 18 and live or work in the EPB service territory. They are asked to submit at least five images, specifically including samples such as painting, drawing, printmaking or graffiti art. Past mural experience is not required. Artists are also asked to write a vision statement of their concept that aligns with the theme.

An outside group of community stakeholders will select the muralists based on their submission’s artistic value, clarity of thought, community reflection and relevance to the theme. Artists will be notified of their selection and will receive support from ArtsBuild if needed. They will also be awarded a supply budget as well as a service fee for their work. For more information about the call for submissions that details the proposal and compensation specifics, contact EPB’s Tiffany Coleman at colemantl@epb.net.

There will be a virtual project information meeting on December 1, 2021 from 12-1 p.m. Contact Tiffany Coleman for more information. Meeting attendance is optional, but artists can learn more about the project and ask any questions in this public forum.

This is the second year of a four year project. EPB will take submissions to create a public mural on the third side of the substation wall in late 2022. For more information, contact Tiffany Coleman at colemantl@epb.net.

About EPB

EPB serves the greater Chattanooga area by providing world-class energy and connectivity solutions as a means of promoting economic development and enhancing quality of life for our community. We deliver electricity to more than 170,000 homes and businesses across our 600 square mile service area which includes most of Hamilton County as well as parts of surrounding counties in both Tennessee and Georgia. In 2010, EPB Fiber Optics, which offers internet, TV, and telephone services, became the first provider in the United States to deliver up to 1 Gig (1,000 Mbps) internet speeds utilizing a community-wide fiber optic network which is accessible to every home and business in its service area. In 2015, EPB became the first, and to date, only American ISP to make up to 10 Gig (10,000 Mbps) internet speeds accessible to all of its residential and commercial customers as a standard offer.

EPB has also utilized its community-wide fiber optic network to deploy the most advanced and highly automated smart grid power management system in the nation. In recognition of EPB’s groundbreaking infrastructure, the Department of Energy and Oak Ridge National Laboratory are utilizing EPB’s smart grid as a national model for researching and developing best practices. EPB is also the first major power distribution utility to earn the USGBC’s PEER certification for having a highly automated, modernized electric power grid.

EPB is an independent board of the City of Chattanooga which began serving customers in 1939. Visit EPB.com for more information.

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