Call for Artists
Applications Open through February 28, 2026
Ready to showcase your artistic skills and celebrate Paducah’s quilting legacy?
Paducah Quilt Murals Inc invites LOCAL artists to apply for the opportunity to participate in the Quilt City USA® Murals project — a vibrant public art initiative celebrating Paducah’s rich quilting heritage.
About the Project:
Quilt City USA® Murals is a privately funded mural series featuring painted reproductions of actual quilts. The murals are installed on the 332-foot floodwall adjacent to the Schroeder Expo and Carroll Convention Center (415 Park Street), creating a 24/7 outdoor gallery along the Greenway Trail in the heart of our UNESCO Creative City.
There are currently three murals installed on the floodwall, with four more in progress in local artists’ studios. A newly sponsored quilt mural will soon be ready for production. We’re looking for talented artists to bring this and additional upcoming murals to life.
The Painting Process
Murals are painted on Pellon, a sewing interfacing fabric, using Golden Artist brand professional grade paints in the artist’s studio or chosen workspace utilizing a weather-resistant technique developed by Lead Artist Char Downs. This allows artists to work year-round, with the final mural adhered to the floodwall upon completion.
Interested artists must be physically able to work on a ladder or raised platform to paint the mural if necessary and capable of accessing and utilizing a scaffold to complete the installation.
What Happens After You Apply
Applicants will be invited to an orientation meeting in March explaining the juried audition process.
The process includes creating a maquette — a small-scale painting of a section of an actual quilt demonstrating the artist’s ability to color-match and replicate the fabric, texture, and stitching of the quilt using paint.
An image of one of the Mariner’s Compass star patterns from Judy Mathieson’s quilt “Nautical Stars” will be the sample reproduced for the maquette.
At the orientation meeting, artists will be given:
A printed image of a specific SECTION of the quilt “Nautical Stars”
A blank canvas sized to the quilt section you are assigned
Detailed instructions for creating and submitting the maquette
The quilt “Nautical Stars” is currently being painted by formerly juried artist Kijsa Housman. This mural is part of the AMERICA250KY: Exploring 250 Years Through the Arts semiquincentennial program commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Artist Compensation
Juried artist chosen for a specific mural will receive:
$10,000 compensation for painting the mural
A maximum of $1,000 reimbursement for materials
Payment is allocated in accordance with an Artist Agreement and accompanying Addendum which includes a 12-month work stage timeline and payment schedule. Completion of the timeline is flexible - based on complexity of the quilt.
Bonnie Browning, former AQS QuiltWeek executive director, and Paul Aho, retired director of the Paducah School of Art & Design, juried a selection of maquette paintings of the quilt “Corona 2: Solar Eclipse” by Carol Bryer Fallert-Gentry at Pinecone Art Gallery.
Audition Process
After submission, a team of jurors will evaluate the finished maquettes at a public exhibit to select the most qualified muralists for upcoming quilts.
Apply before February 28, 2026, to be considered for this public art opportunity unique to Paducah Creative City.
Application Form
Applications Open through
February 28, 2026
For questions or more information, contact:
info@paducahquiltmurals.org
or
Deb Lyons, Interim Lead Artist
deb-lyons@comcast.net
Quilts and the Stories They Tell
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