Artists sought for skate park mural

By Mallory Panuska Managing Editor

(July 28, 2023) Ocean City Development Corporation officials are seeking Maryland artists to create a mural on a large blank wall at the Ocean Bowl Skate Park.

And with a few more weeks left to tap into the talent pool, OCDC Executive Director Zach Bankert said the outlook is positive for finding the perfect creator.

“We’re really impressed with some of the submissions we’ve got,” Bankert said this week of the responses received since the corporation recently made the call for artists.

The mural, made possible with a $10,000 grant from the state, will be painted on a 67-foot-wide wall at the skate park in the Downtown Recreation Complex between Third and Fourth streets on the bay. The entire park is set for full renovation and the mural is part of the makeover.

OCDC officials are looking for three artists with mural painting experience to submit designs to compete for the opportunity to paint the wall. Each artist selected will receive $2,500 to complete a design and submit a budget of up to $35,000 for the project. The deadline for submissions is Aug. 13 and any artist who lives in Maryland can apply.

Bankert said the winning design will reflect the history and culture of the skate park and will be different than most other types of local works.

“It’s more contemporary than what we’ve seen in town before,” he said.

To select the winning artist, each design will be presented to the public for comment and a selection committee will make the final decision on which one will be selected. The work will be contingent on OCDC receiving the second grant, which Bankert said he is optimistic about.

He added that the mural is the final element of the renovation.

“This won’t be completed until after all the remodeling and renovation work are done,” Bankert said of the timeline. “This will be a nice cherry on top, I guess.”

To learn more about the project and steps to submit a design, visit ocdc.org/oceanbowlmural/.

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