Local artists have an opportunity to leave their mark on the nearly completed Downtown Wellen in South Sarasota. In partnership with the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, the Downtown Wellen Mural Project is kicking off a competition for local and regional artists to create large-scale murals in the master-planned community's central hub.

There will be three different mural sites. The first is slated for Wellen Park Boulevard, the main roadway into Downtown Wellen. The second and third murals will be located side-by-side on the building adjacent to Oak & Stone restaurant and The Yard, Wellen Park’s food park and entertainment hub, which has retrofitted shipping containers, an open-air dining courtyard and a recreational area.

Local artists are invited to submit general concept ideas inspired by carved-out themes. The most prominent of the three, “Mural One” should represent what the Wellen Park and the Arts Alliance call the “Hub of Heartfelt Connections"; it should reflect nature, and be interactive. The two other murals should focus on themes: “Home to Fun Loving Lifestyles” and “Channeling the Waterside Vibe.”

The mural themes are mired in the master-planned community's ethos. Downtown Wellen features parks shaded by decades-old relocated live oak trees and a Great Lawn for community festivals, markets and celebrations with a lakefront fountain and splash pad. The 80-acre Grand Lake is the backdrop throughout Downtown Wellen and has a floating dock with fishing, kayaking and paddleboarding options.

Also headed to Downtown Wellen are a slew of shops, medical offices and restaurants.

Wellen currently has approximately 9,500 residents. At full buildout, it will have more than 50,000 residents and 22,500 homes within its three districts: West Villages, Downtown Wellen and Playmore.

Learn more about the project and apply here. Interest form submissions will be accepted until 5 p.m., Friday, Oct. 7, and must include proposed mural sketch ideas and concepts, as well as samples of previously completed murals. For more information, email [email protected].