PUBLIC ART PROGRAM

WHO WE ARE

 

The Souderton Connects Beautification Committee is composed of artists, members of Souderton’s business community, and Souderton property owners.  It is chartered with helping to brand, beautify, and make Souderton a destination. 

 

BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE PUBLIC ART GOALS

 

This Committee strives to improve the appearance and function of Souderton’s most-visited areas by adding public art with these goals in mind:

• Encourage tourism through a beautiful and safe experience

• Promote a wide range of artistic styles through color, special moments, and surprises to keep new and returning visitors curious about Souderton

• Create a welcoming feeling and sense of community

• Increase town pride and community engagement

• Help connect areas of commerce on Main Street and Broad Street

• Increase property values

 

SOUDERTON CONNECTS PUBLIC ART PROGRAM

 

• Components of the Souderton Connects Public Art program include but are not limited to murals, sculpture, special lighting, and seating.

• Public art makes great photo backdrops that people love to post on social media which, in turn, creates a focus on Souderton that boosts economic growth and inspires investment in the community.

• The public art program is designed to vary the scope and location of projects.  To that end, some years will produce large-scale projects while others will yield smaller projects.

• Public art helps build relationships, empower communities, and spark economic revitalization.

• Community art projects create unique experiences, engage citizens, increase foot traffic and increase overall attractiveness of the town

PAST PROJECTS

 

To see some of our past projects including the Chestnut Street Mural and the Souderton Headlines Murals, click here to visit our site and take the Souderton Art Walk

 

CRITERIA

 

ELIGIBILITY

 

An owner of a commercial property or a business owner (with written permission from the property owner) interested in having an art piece installed on their building or on their property may apply to have their project considered for inclusion in our program.  Additionally, artists and community members interested in presenting their ideas for a public art piece within Souderton Borough may contact the Beautification Committee to have their project considered for inclusion in our program.

 

INELIGIBLE PROJECTS

 

The Beautification Committee reserves the right to decline any project for any reason.  Some reasons why a project might not be suitable include:

 

• Locations which are not visible/accessible to the public from the public right-of-way

• Interior pieces

• Temporary exterior banners

• Religious/political/sexual themes, commercial messaging, and profanity

• Request exceeds the Committee's available budget

• Project is not aligned with the Committee’s goals or focus

 

FUNDING

 

• For approved projects: the Souderton Connects Beautification Committee will provide funding in this manner contingent upon available budget and committee review:

  • Projects with a total budget up to (and including) $2,500: up to 100% funding from Souderton Connects with any portion that’s not funded paid for by the property owner

  • Projects with a total budget up to (and including) $10,000: up to 75% funding from Souderton Connects with the rest paid for by the property owner

  • Projects with a total budget over $10,000: up to 65% funding from Souderton Connects with the rest paid for by the property owner

• As noted above, if your project exceeds the program maximum, supplemental funding must be provided by the property/business owner(s), grants, or other community funding sources.  Projects that exceed our program budget will not necessarily be denied for that reason but projects which fit our budget are preferred.

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PROCESS

 

• Submit project ideas and proposed locations to Souderton Connects Public Art Program via our online application forms.  If known, include the budget, artist name, and a sketch for the proposed project.  If no sketch is available, images of past projects may be submitted.  A sketch may be required before project approval is granted.  Please provide a timeline indicating intended start date and estimated duration.

• Send pictures of intended site: 1 picture at a distance to show the whole site and 1 picture of the actual installation location to show more detail of the specific site

• Ensure that your funding is in place

• Obtain/confirm permission from the property owner

• Beautification Committee will review your application to determine if your project fits our program

• Once your submission is reviewed, a representative of the Beautification Committee will let you know whether your project has been approved or not.  If your project is approved, we will discuss net steps and begin planning your public art project.

• Souderton Connects board/committee members are able to apply to be part of the program but must recuse themselves from voting on acceptance into the program.  

 

EXPECTATIONS

 

• Property owners are expected to provide basic maintenance for public art installations.  Areas surrounding public art pieces should be kept clear of weeds and tripping hazards.  Walls with murals should have weeds removed where the wall meets sidewalk/ground.  Occasional cleaning (typically spraying with a hose) should occur.

• Issues with equipment/materials should be reported to the Beautification Committee so potential repair can be discussed.

• All public art installations have a life expectancy.  If project materials begin to fail (peeling paint, rusting hardware, etc), please contact the Beautification Committee to make a plan to repair or assess the damaged areas.

• Property owners are expected to retain the art installation on their wall/property for a minimum of 10 years.  After 10 years, or after an art piece is no longer in good condition/repairable, please consider applying for a new project or creating one of your own.