Artists Sought for Riverside Traffic Signal Box Artworks

Artists Sought for Riverside Traffic Signal Box Artworks

Deadline: 08/31/2026

Project

Title:

Traffic Signal Control Box Art for North Harding Street (Riverside Civic League)

Final date to receive applications:
Sunday, August 31, 2026, by 11:59pm ET. This is NOT a postmark deadline. No exceptions.

• Over 18 or, if ages 15-17, have a parent or guardian available to co-sign a commissioning agreement. Youth under the age of 15 are not eligible for this project.
• Live in one of the following Central Indiana counties:
  Marion, Morgan, Boone, Hamilton, Hendricks, Hancock, Johnson or Shelby
• Strong preference will be given to artist(s) who have a direct connection to Riverside or a directly adjacent neighborhood
• Be willing to meet all contractual obligations and adhere to a strict budget and timeline

The purpose of the traffic signal box art program is to enable Indianapolis’ neighborhoods to
express their identity, beautify their streets, and discourage “tagging” vandalism of the
neighborhood’s traffic signal control boxes (TSBs). Other purposes are to provide employment
opportunities for artists and allow artists the opportunity for personal expression. The process
is neighborhood-driven, with the Indy Arts Council assisting neighborhoods or other citizen
groups to ensure aesthetic quality and work with the City to permit the use of the TSBs. Neighborhoods are responsible for maintaining the completed boxes. Art on TSBs can be hand-painted or digitally printed on vinyl wrap and professionally installed by the wrap vendor. Please consult the contact listed below if your work requires the vinyl wrap method to ensure that it will fit within the established project budget.

Riverside Civic League’s boundaries stretch from 16th St to 30th St, and from the White River
to the Canal. It is a historically Black neighborhood with a rich history and many notable
features, including Riverside Park, Taggart Memorial Amphitheatre, annual Riverside Parade
(100 years old), and annual Riverside Reunion. The neighborhood has recently been
designated a part of the Riverside Cultural District by the City of Indianapolis for its arts and
culture offerings.

To promote visual art, reduce graffiti, and serve as visual gateways to the neighborhood, Riverside Civic League is seeking artist applications to paint three TSBs on N. Harding St., which runs through the center of the neighborhood.

The box locations are:

• Harding and 16th (next to Kuntz Stadium’s fence): P cabinet size: 55" high x 44" wide x 25" deep
• Harding and 21st (attached to traffic pole across from Highbaugh’s Barber Shop):
  Atypical cabinet size: 40" high x 24" wide x 17" deep
• Harding and Burdsal Pkwy (in the parkway median): P cabinet size: 55" high x 44" wide x 25" deep

It is extremely important that the artist(s) have a personal connection to Riverside or an
immediately surrounding neighborhood.

When surveyed about their preferences, community members shared they wanted to see the
TSBs feature these kinds of art stories and subject matter:

• Nature, plants, animals, water, and waterways
• Neighborhood history featuring people, events, and places
• Scenes of common neighborhood activities (e.g. fishing, gardening, biking)

Community residents would prefer the artwork tell those stories in a photorealistic or realistic
style (though we are open to artists who have different stylizations as well), and evoke these
feelings:

• Belonging
• Connection
• Inspiration
• Unity

We recognize that no design will be able to meet all of these desires on one box, however, as
there are three boxes to be painted, we are interested in having different stories on each box
to reflect more of what community residents wish to see. We are open to different artists for
each box, or one artist for all three.

Community members have shared that they do not wish to see graffiti-style art, or any political
imagery. Per the TSB program, words are not permitted in the design for traffic safety reasons.

Riverside Civic League values the work and mastery of artists. AI-created or
AI-assisted art is not eligible for this project. The…