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CRA approves COCA mural program, pledges $12,500 from each district to match grant
Summary
The Tallahassee Community Redevelopment Agency voted unanimously to contribute $12,500 from each CRA district to expand a COCA mural program funded by a $50,000 Knight Foundation grant, increasing the number of commercial murals from four to six.
The Tallahassee Community Redevelopment Agency on Jan. 16 unanimously approved a one-time contribution of $12,500 from each CRA district to expand a mural program led by the Council on Culture and Arts (COCA).
The action matches COCA’s $50,000 Knight Foundation grant administered through the Community Foundation of North Florida and will increase the pilot from four midsize murals to six commercial-property murals in the downtown and Greater Frenchtown–Southside CRA districts.
COCA’s Sam Jocelyn, Public Art and Exhibitions Manager, told the board the program aims to “abate and prevent graffiti, reduce neighborhood blight and build neighborhood pride” by placing murals on small-business and nonprofit exteriors. COCA said the Knight Foundation award would pay for four murals; the CRA contribution would provide the additional funding needed to expand to six locations.
The program timeline COCA presented calls for reopening the application this month, selecting final properties in February, issuing a request for qualifications for artists in March, selecting artists and designs in April–May, installing murals during the summer and holding a community mural walk in September.
COCA said the $75,000 combined budget would cover muralist fees (materials and labor), artist design stipends, anti-graffiti topcoat, marketing, administrative support and incidental expenses such as equipment rental. COCA also described an advisory review committee that would include representatives from the CRA and the Greater Frenchtown–Southside citizen advisory committee to review property and artist applications.
Mayor (name not specified) moved approval of the one-time match; Commissioner Richardson seconded. The board voted unanimously to approve the contribution. The CRA did not specify whether the funds will be taken from existing line items or a contingency; staff described the request as a one-time allocation of $12,500 per district.
Board members praised the program’s artist stipends for design finalists and said the murals could help revitalize commercial corridors and support local artists. Kathleen Spihar, a COCA representative, said COCA and the CRA would publicize the agency’s support for the arts.
The board’s action is limited to the one-time funding pledge; COCA will carry out artist selection, coordinate with property owners and oversee installation under the terms described in its presentation.
