Downtown PKB’s Arts and Culture Committee invites local artists and community members to participate in a new downtown project and create a more visually appealing Parkersburg. Located between 6th and 7th Streets, Artist Alley will feature a gallery of artwork created by contributing artists.

Downtown PKB asks artists to design an approximately 4’ x 4’ design that they and friends or family could paint directly onto a brick wall between Unity Café and the Campbell Plaza building. The selected artists will be invited to join a community painting event on Saturday, June 22nd to bring their ideas to life.

“Downtown PKB is always looking for opportunities to connect community members with downtown projects,” said Amanda Stevens, Executive Director of Downtown PKB. “People feel a sense of ownership and pride in the city when there are personal connections. Personal touches give our downtown a local identity that is tangible,” she said. “We also love to support local artists whenever possible.”

The space for the outdoor Artist Alley extends halfway down the block between 7th and 6th streets, starting at the alley access point beside the Unity Café.

“This alleyway is like a little secret,” said Jessie Siefert, Managing Director and Education Director for the Parkersburg Art Center. “With the addition of the Edison lights and murals it will become a wonderfully, colorful, and surprising little secret garden of art. I envision people driving up 7th Street and catching a glimpse of something interesting out of the corner of their eye then stopping by to investigate on foot. I want to live in that world that is full of surprises.”

The surface for most of the mural panels will be primed brick. There will be five plywood panels that can be painted flat and then mounted to the vinyl side of the Unity Café. These panels will be reserved for anyone with a disability that would prevent them from painting directly onto the wall.

Once completed, the Artist Alley murals will be sealed with an anti-graffiti sealant provided by Sherwin-Williams Paints. Acrylic paints donated by Golden Paints will be available for use and Downtown PKB and Unity Café will provide food, drinks, and musical entertainment for the live painting event on June 22nd.

“Group art-making projects like this strengthen bonds within a community,” said Siefert. “The act of sharing something of yourself through art making with others creates a connectedness among the participants. If we strive for an inclusive Parkersburg, bringing people together through activities like this is one way we can build that momentum.”

Mural designs are to be done with a focus on positive images, local interest, landscapes, and other concepts with unity and inclusivity in mind. Work should stay away from political statements.

The alley will be cleaned and Edison lights will be strung in arches across the alley before June.

“This location was selected for activation because it is geographically important to the revitalization of our downtown and is situated next to a very cool coffee shop/restaurant - Unity Café!” said Stevens. “It is also adjacent to the bus garage and other businesses. This space activation will improve safety and aesthetics.”

Downtown PKB hopes that these pieces will be around for many years but due to the nature of the medium, cannot guarantee how long the murals will be installed. The organization reserves the right to replace murals at its discretion.

Submission Details

Deadline for submissions: June 1, 2024 for submission of ideas

Community painting event: June 22, 2024 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (artists time is not limited)

Cost: There is no fee for entry

Who can enter: Artists, age 16 and over

Reward: You will be provided paints and brushes to paint your image on the wall for everyone to enjoy. Lunch will be provided and a DJ will be spinning tunes while we paint! You can sign your work!

Submission Process:

Email an image of the mural you intend to paint to amanda@downtownpkb.com. Please attach a good-quality JPEG, PNG or TIFF image.
In the body of the email include your name, the title of your work, your email address, and phone number.
If you have exterior mural painting experience or mural samples please include that information in the body of your message.
If others may be joining you in painting your panel, please list them.
If you are requesting to paint one of the flat panels, please write two to three sentences explaining why this modification is necessary.

More information:

All works submitted for the competitions must be original works of art. No reproductions of copyrighted or other material will be accepted.
Think about how people will interact with your piece. Does it spark joy?
If your image is selected, you will be invited to join the Artist Alley Paint Out on Saturday, June 22 starting at 10 a.m. through 2 p.m. You may take more time if needed.
Direct questions to amanda@downtownpkb.com or info@parkersburgartcenter.org.

Download the Call for Artists