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Artist All-Call to Beautify Hayward with 2 Public Murals

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It’s not every day that you stumble upon an artist all-call for a city project. Hayward is welcoming artist applications for the creation of two murals which will soon become the home of the Stack Youth and Family Center (The Stack Center). Phase 1 of the project will be started in the next couple of months but the murals need to be done by December 31st 2023.

Rendering of the Stack Center from Hayward’s Artist All-Call website

The mural projects are made possible through a Clean California grant awarded to the City by Caltrans, aimed at enhancing the cleanliness and aesthetics of public spaces within underprivileged communities. This generous grant, totaling $2.647 million, will not only support the creation of the murals but also finance significant external enhancements, including environmentally conscious landscaping and the construction of a brand-new community events plaza. The Stack Center will have childcare, a clinic, a cafe and technology lab which will have a variety of programs catering to individuals of all ages.

“The full Stack Center campus will encompass the existing Matt Jimenez and Eden Youth and Family Centers and is the culmination of a decades-long dream to create a neighborhood anchor that will be a cultural center, service hub, and economic catalyst. Phase I construction will begin in the next few months,” says the City of Hayward’s information about the project.

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There are two distinctive themes for the Stack Center Murals

Hayward officials are looking for 2 different murals for their building with very specific direction.

Mural 1 will face Tennyson Park. This mural will span approximately 700 square feet, should vividly portray our community members flourishing through a diverse array of multicultural recreational pursuits.

Mural 2 has a much different theme. This mural has a food theme. It will face the center’s commercial kitchen, situated nearby and facing Panjon Street. The second mural is roughly 350 square feet and should be dedicated to showcasing global food heritages and the vibrant interactions around food, potentially including scenes of food vendors. “The youth advisory group suggested using food (such as alphabet soup) to spell out a quote or affirmation, such as “you belong here.” This is not a mural requirement, but will be considered when reviewing applications,” officials say in the all-call application site.

The Stack Center in Hayward – photo from StackCenter.org

Artist requirements from the Hayward Artist All-Call Submission:

  • The work must be complete no later than December 31, 2023, with reasonable delays due to major weather events. 
  • Artists may apply for one mural or both of the murals together. If an artists is selected for both murals, that artist must commit to having the both works done by December 31, 2023.
  • Artists are responsible for all materials, weatherproofing, and installing an anti-graffiti coating. 
  • Selected artists must provide a W9 and proof of general liability insurance coverage to become a City vendor. 
  • Additional consideration will be given for artists who are willing to allow/incorporate community participation at certain points during the mural process.

The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on October 2.

Learn more about The Stack Youth and Family Center via the City of Hayward’s promo video about the project.

Note: the thumbnail for this article is artist Ursula X. Young. To learn more about her and her art, read our interview with her

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Katy Atchison

Katy Atchison

Katy has lived in The Bay Area since the age of 3. While other kids were attending summer camp & soccer practice, she was raised selling wares at craft shows with her working artist parents and spent vacations in a small 1920s Montana log cabin. This has all given her a unique perspective on the ever-changing texture of San Francisco and the Greater Bay Area. Currently a blend of all that is The Bay Area - she's a web designer at a tech-company, artist and DIY teacher.