Welcome, Carbondale!

Welcome, Carbondale! is a special initiative of the Southern Illinois Mural Project, a program of Artspace 304 in collaboration with the City of Carbondale, SIUC, Artspace 304, local businesses, and private donors.

A Second Round of Welcome, Carbondale Applications are Open Now!

The community is investing up to $30,000 in Welcome, Carbondale! to create two additional public murals in 2023. We seek visionary artists to create large-scale murals that greet visitors and embrace our residents. Illinois Artists and Artist Teams are encouraged to view the application, select a site, and create a design proposal. Awards are $5,000 – $15,000 depending on the size and scope of your mural design. Submit your  proposals, budgets and previous experience by September 15. 

If you have experience with large-scale mural projects and have a creative vision to share, this is an opportunity for you. Click on the link to learn about this mural project, the blank walls that await your images, and how to submit your design for consideration.

Questions? Contact us at info@artspace304.org or call 618-534-6682.

2023 Mural Sites

441 E Willow St

Artist: Maddie Dieters

Mural artist Maddie Dieters created the mural at the Eurma Hayes Center as a stunning portrait and homage to its founder, Eurma Hayes. Maddie Dieters (Marion, IL) has completed numerous murals in the Southern Illinois area. She creates public art in hopes of empowering people to appreciate and participate in creating art.

317 E Main St

Artist: Christine DeShazo

The Woodlawn Cemetery Mural at 317 E. Main was conceived by artist Christine DeShazo, in honor of Carbondale’s history and as a tribute to influential figures of the city’s past. The mural incorporates three historical portraits: Daniel Brush, the founder of Carbondale, and General John A. Logan, who helped make Memorial Day a national holiday. The third portrait is of Calvin Scott, a
much-loved local, playing his adored bugle. Christine DeShazo of Spectrum Graphics (Murphysboro, IL) has completed numerous murals in the Southern Illinois area. Her large, intricate murals often engage a crew of talented muralists who call themselves the Wall Dogs.

609 S Illinois Ave

Artist: Antonio Martinez

Antonio Martinez’ vibrant Owl Mural on the Southeast corner of Slabz Skatepark at 609 S. Illinois depicts an atomic/celestial landscape. Asked about his imagery, Antonio Martinez explains: “The mural was inspired by my memory of the sky during the 2017 total solar eclipse, the legacy of the Bucky Dome, the natural environment, and the Owl. For me, the Owl symbolizes wisdom gained through hardship, with the guidance of creativity, social awareness, and intuition. Six orbs rotate around an ellipse: numerically, six is a nod to the atomic number of Carbon on the periodic table and a wink to Carbondale’s namesake.  This Owl/Eclipse idea represents a rejuvenation/rebirth for Carbondale, gained through creativity and ingenuity, which Buckminster Fuller embodied in his teachings. Other important cultural influences include the spiritualist paintings of Hilma af Klint and the Azteca/Meshica philosophy of “total.”

2022 Mural Sites

217 W Walnut St

 Artist: Candace Lyon

Candace Lyon’s mural on SI Pawn’s west facing wall is themed “Now and Then”. The mural depicts the passage of time using the trains that would frequently travel through the area over the years, whether supplying coal, grains or traveling passengers. Candace Lyon is a Southern Illinois-based artist and has completed murals in Hanndibal, MO, Camp Verde, AZ, West Frankfort, IL and Makanda, IL.

About the Southern IL Mural Project