The project is a collaborative effort between the Office of Arts and Culture and the Department of Code Compliance that uses a roll-off dumpster container to travel Dallas neighborhoods and provide art to the community.
Kevin Mondy, community engagement and communications manager with the Department of Code Compliance, said the initiative began during the COVID-19 pandemic to offer artists professional opportunities while also beautifying neighborhoods. The project’s success and reception among artists and community members alike has secured its continuation, Mondy said.
The project involves decorating a 22-by-7-foot roll-off container to celebrate and honor the Dallas community. After it is painted, the container constantly moves throughout the city, being deployed to community engagement and cleanup events. When it is not being used for a specific event, the container may be publicly displayed as a standalone art piece.
“It’s nice to have [the containers] painted like this, I think it adds an element of beauty to the city,” Mondy said. “It also shows great collaboration between two departments who have two different missions but came together to make something work.”
Interested Dallas artists must submit an application to be selected to decorate the container. With their applications, artists must submit proposals that follow this year’s theme of community engagement.
Rhonda Ivery, community arts manager with the Office of Arts and Culture, said a city panel will select an artist based on their availability, capability and eligibility to work with the city, plus their proposed plan. The selected artist will be awarded $5,000 to complete the art piece, plus $1,000 for supplies and materials.
The artist will be required to prepare a template of the sides of the container that residents can replicate. The Office of Arts and Culture will use the template to host a community event at the Oak Cliff Cultural center on April 15 that allows residents to paint their own version of the art piece on canvas. Residents’ paintings will be displayed at the Oak Cliff Branch Library in honor of Dallas Arts Month until April 30.
Those interested have until Feb. 20 to submit an application to create a mural, and the selected artist will be notified by March 8. The project is expected to be completed by June 1 at the latest, according to the Dallas Office of Arts and Culture website.
Once completed, the roll-off container will stay in rotation throughout the city as long the life and quality of the container is maintained, Mondy said.
More information about the project and how to apply can be found here.
