In 2023, River City Company announced a new program for community artists to assist with the redesign of the downtown banners across their districts. Over 50 artists have applied for the call for the Southside, Riverfront and Northshore Districts. Today, River City Company is announcing the call for artists to submit their qualifications to be considered for the fourth district to receive a refresh - the Martin Luther King District.
Since 2009, River City Company has operated the downtown banner program with the goal of "welcoming downtown residents and visitors to the unique districts along with serving as an effective tool to accentuate city streetscapes."
“Every district offers a unique experience, with different businesses, attractions and events.
Artists have showcased this in the banners through the Northshore, Riverfront and Southside. We are so excited to see what will be created for the Martin Luther King district,” said Emily Mack, president and CEO of River City Company.
The request for qualifications will be open for artists to submit until Aug. 18, with the top artists selected on Sept. 3. Final submissions will be reviewed on Oct. 25, with one artist selected for the project, receiving a $1,500 stipend for their artwork.
"River City’s banner design program is a wonderful opportunity to bring the work of local artists into the public realm. Not only do the banners beautify our streetscapes, but they also use art to enhance wayfinding through meaningful connections to the community," said Elizabeth Carringer, manager of Public Art with the City of Chattanooga.
To support the program, River City Company partners with local businesses and organizations to cover the cost of replacement of the banners. “We are beyond grateful to the local businesses and organizations who have stepped up and shown support for the new banners through sponsorship. It is because of generous donors that we are able to pay the artist and have beautiful new banners for our downtown districts,” said Ms. Mack.
Additional information about the banner program, request for qualifications and how the community can donate to the program can be found
here.