This project will wrap ten to fifteen public utility boxes with art created by a local artist that is designed to deter graffiti in ways that reflect the community's values.

LNA has successfully used public art as a tool to discourage graffiti. A prime example of this was the Walldogs on Nicollet Project that created 10 murals on 8 sites in 4 days along Nicollet Avenue. This program has been very successful in reducing the amount of prime real estate available for taggers with only one incident of graffiti at a mural site since 2008.

LNA's experience in combating graffiti shows that utility boxes are among the most tagged structures in the neighborhood, over the past two years LNA has cleaned up over 40 tags on utility boxes through LNA's Graffiti Busters program. We think this is due to how visible and easy they are to see and tag from the street; which is also why we think they would be good places for public art. In Lyndale, the boxes are frequently used by gangs to mark their territory, which often results in a back and forth tagging action that can completely cover a box that is not regularly repainted. This back and forth tagging also results in other nearby, but less visible, structures being tagged including light posts, street signs, and utility poles.

This project will wrap utility boxes with an easily cleaned material, which is the same type of material that is used to wrap buses and LRT with advertisements. This is the same materially that was successfully used in Kingfield this past year. The material bends easily, conforms to the edges of the boxes, and is easily cleaned. Our goal is to wrap ten to fifteen of the thirty-seven utility boxes in Lyndale this year. Our long-term goal is to continue to use utility box wrapping to reduce graffiti and create a sense of place in the neighborhood.

The Utility Box Wrap Project will involve a volunteer committee who will work with an artist to identify and create images for the boxes that will deter graffiti, reflect the community's values, are artistically interesting, and are easy to clean-up and maintain. The committee will work with the artist, who will be hired by LNA, to facilitate the discussion between the artist and the community. The artist will be chosen by the committee through a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process modeled after the Minneapolis Art Commission's process.

LNA is looking for an artist or artist team that can create visually stunning images and work with LNA and the printer to layout the images to fit three dimensional installations. At least one person on the artist team needs to be able to layout electronic files for the printer.

Proposal Information

Proposals are due: by Tuesday, September 6th at 4:00 p.m.

Location: Proposals may be sent to Lyndale Neighborhood Association, 3537 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55408, or you may send your application electronically to mark@lyndale.org.

You can learn more LNA at lyndale.org

Download the Full Request For Qualifications (RFQ) Here