Springboard for the Arts is excited to announce a new collaboration with South Dakota-based art collective, Mural On the Wall, to develop a new mural at our rural headquarters in downtown Fergus Falls, Minnesota. The mural will be installed in summer 2025 on the south side of the Benson Building, located on the corner of Lincoln Ave and Court St.
The Benson Building’s south side faces the new Spies Pavilion and the Riverfront Splash Pad. Springboard’s goal is to enhance these local assets with vibrant color and a celebration of Fergus Falls’ identity, creating a memorable landmark for downtown visitors, businesses and residents.
Mural On the Wall (Mural OTW) is a collaboration between South Dakota-based visual artists Amber Hansen, Reyna Hernandez, and Sonia Hernandez. Mural OTW engages the local communities they work with to mentor and build capacity for local artists, provide a platform to amplify community perspectives, and develop high quality, memorable murals that add vibrancy and joy to community landscapes. Their in depth, 10-month community engagement process ensures that everyone who wants to contribute their ideas has a chance to, resulting in murals that are truly unique to the local community.
Members of the Fergus Falls community are invited to participate on a Community Design Team to help share stories and ideas to inform the mural design process. Design Team members are highly encouraged to attend all four community design meetings from September through November (see dates below). Those interested in participating on the design team can attend a virtual informational meeting on Tuesday, August 27 at 12pm CT on Zoom, and should fill out the interest form below.
Springboard is also seeking three young artists (ages 14 - 22) to serve as apprentices for the mural team. Apprentices will receive a $500 stipend, and will gain new skills in community engagement and public art skills and experience. Those interested can apply using the form below.
Community Design Team meeting dates
- - Friday, September 27, 4 - 6pm CT at Springboard for the Arts
- - Thursday, October 10, 4 - 6pm CT on Zoom
- - Thursday, October 24, 4 - 6pm CT on Zoom
- - Thursday, November 14, 4 - 6pm CT at Springboard for the Arts
