Public Arts Commission seeks artist to create a 300-square-foot community mural along the CV Link
The City of Cathedral City is searching for a California-based artist or team to design and paint a signature mural at Esperanza Park, the city’s newest public space, and the Public Arts Commission wants to hear from you by June 30, 2026.
With a project budget of $50,000 and a high-visibility wall facing the CV Link regional trail, this is one of the most prominent public art opportunities in the Coachella Valley this year.
A Mural Rooted in Hope
Esperanza — Spanish for “hope” — is more than a name. It’s the vision behind a 7.5-acre park that opened in the historically underserved Dream Homes neighborhood after years of community advocacy. Today, Esperanza Park is home to children’s play areas, shaded picnic spaces, fitness equipment, sports fields, basketball courts, a dog park, and a direct connection to the CV Link multi-modal trail.
The mural will live on the back wall of the park’s restroom building, facing the CV Link entry — a stretch of approximately 9.5 feet by 30 feet, or 300 square feet, seen by thousands of trail users, cyclists, and families every month.
It will be the second permanent public art installation at Esperanza Park, joining an entryway sculpture inspired by community input on themes of resilience, rebirth, transformation, regeneration, and safety for children of all ages.
Part of the “Esperanza Rising” Cultural Series
The mural is funded by a California Arts in California Parks grant — a competitive program through which Cathedral City was selected as one of just 30 communities statewide from more than 200 applicants. The grant supports four cultural activations at Esperanza Park, each built around a unifying theme the chosen artist is invited to explore:
- Echoes of the Past — honoring the cultural roots of the Dream Homes community and the ancestral lands of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
- Voices of the Present — capturing the energy, talent, and identity of Cathedral City today
- Visions of the Future — inviting the community to dream boldly
- Together We Heal — celebrating connection, restoration, and community resilience
The selected artist will weave these themes into a permanent visual statement that welcomes every CV Link visitor for years to come.
Who Should Apply
The Public Arts Commission is seeking artists who can demonstrate:
- A strong artistic vision aligned with the project’s themes
- A portfolio of completed large-scale exterior or public art projects
- Prior experience working directly with community members in the creation of murals or public art
- The ability to complete the mural by October 10, 2026, including materials suitable for permanent exterior application and graffiti resistance
Applicants must be California-based, 18 or older, able to carry their own liability insurance, and able to provide all necessary access equipment. Collaborating artists and teams are welcome to apply together.
In addition to the $50,000 project budget, the grant provides up to $2,000 in separate funding for community painting supplies — because the residents of Dream Homes will help bring this mural to life.
Selection Timeline
- Applications Close: June 30, 2026
- Selection Panel Review: July 1–10, 2026
- Finalists Announced: July 14, 2026
- Community Input Period: July 15 – August 3, 2026
- Public Arts Commission Final Selection: August 11, 2026
- City Council Award of Contract: August 26, 2026
- Painting Begins: September 10, 2026
- Mural Unveiling: October 10, 2026
The top finalists will be shared with the community through an online survey and direct outreach in the Dream Homes neighborhood — ensuring the residents who will live with this mural every day have a real voice in the choice.
How to Apply
All applications must be submitted online through CaFÉ (Call for Entry) no later than 11:59 p.m. PDT on June 30, 2026.
Apply at artist.callforentry.org →
Photos and maps of the mural location are available at cathedralcity.gov/departments/city-manager/call-for-artists.
For questions about the project, contact Anne Ambrose, Assistant City Manager, at aambrose@cathedralcity.gov or (760) 770-0331.
