Stratford Seeking Artists For Public Mural Project

STRATFORD, CT — Stratford officials say they've found the perfect canvas for area artists looking to showcase their work: the town itself. A new mural project will display local talent on some of Stratford's buildings and traffic control boxes.

"The goal is to help beautify the town of Stratford," said Richard Fredette, chairman of the town's arts commission.

The idea for the project started years ago, when then-Mayor John Harkins was walking with Fredette near Windsor Package Store, and the two discussed how the building had potential as a mural location. More recently, Mayor Laura Hoydick came to the arts commission to get the mural effort off the ground.

Stratford has been seeking artists since late May for the project, which will start with murals on Windsor Package Store at 3700 Main St. and on the Public Works Department building on East Main Street between Patterson Avenue and Frog Pond Lane, according to Fredette. Future mural sites could include local stores or the Interstate 95 viaduct near the center of town. Officials are also hoping to display art on about 15 traffic control boxes that have been targets for graffiti in the past.

Hoydick noted that the mural project is just one of many beautification efforts in town, such as flower plantings, festival banners and solar trash compacters with art displayed on the sides of the compacters.

"Not only does it showcase our artists, but it just makes the town look more welcoming and pretty," Hoydick said. "... This is another way of showcasing our artists."

Fredette said the arts commission is seeking proposals from muralists, and he hopes to see some of the murals get underway later this month and be finished by mid-August. Stratford is prepared to give artists a stipend for their work, he said.

Interested muralists should be prepared to show previous work, and can contact Fredette at rfredette@townofstratford.com or 203-380-3249.