The City of Monrovia is seeking an artist to create a mural at Satoru Tsuneishi Park. The park is currently under construction and will include a playground, passive recreation space, picnic tables, and enhanced landscape for the community to enjoy. For additional information on park development, please visit the Satoru Tsuneishi Park Development page on the City of Monrovia’s website.

The goal of the Project is to convey the story of Asian Americans in Monrovia, reflecting their distinguished history and the impact they had on the local agriculture and our community. In addition, this is an opportunity to celebrate Historic Route 66 as the park makes it home along the historic route. The park was named in honor of Satoru Tsuneishi and celebrates his remarkable story and legacy. The artist is encouraged to use large images and bold colors, as they appear best in murals.
The designs will be reviewed by City staff, the Community Services Commission, and a courtesy review by the Art in Public Places (AIPP) Committee with final approval by the Monrovia City Council. The selected artist may be required to provide a more fully realized design prior to the installation, and may be requested to make modifications or changes to the final design.

Location

Satoru Tsuneishi Park is located at 1111 Encino Avenue. A concrete block wall will be built on the far south end of the park (see image above – subject wall highlighted in yellow). The concrete block wall measures 102 linear feet and is approximately 6 feet tall. It does not have any additional finishes and the design should encompass the entire north facing section of the wall and complement park improvements.

Mural Requirements

• Illustrate through the design the unique history and contributions of the Asian American community to Monrovia.
• Celebrate Satoru Tsuneishi, his story, and legacy.
• Celebrate the Historic Route 66.
• Honor the history of agriculture which was prolific in this area 100 years ago.
• Compatible with a community park setting.
• Painted with acrylic paint and able to withstand diverse weather conditions.
• Art must be designed to fit within the designated area. The wall is approximately 102’ x 6’.
• Completed mural must be coated with a graffiti resistant coating.
• The artist is responsible for the preparation, painting, and sealing of all artwork. The artwork is a long-term installation and entries that use a copyrighted or trademark image will not be accepted.
• A written maintenance plan shall be submitted at the completion of the project to provide direction to the City on the long term care of the mural.

Submittal Requirements/Checklist

• Completed Application
• Letter of interest, including qualifications and references
• Examples of other similar projects
• Narrative of proposal, including:
• Narrative of design
• Artist inspiration statement, what story is your art telling
• Anticipated timeline for completion of project
• Design including colors, proposed size/dimensions, depiction of how design will look on wall, and proposed materials on a minimum 8 ½” x 11” paper

Selection Criteria

Submittals will be evaluated on:

• The uniqueness of the art as it represents the history and contributions of the Asian American community to Monrovia.
• Artistic excellence, innovation, and originality.
• Ability of the artist to complete the project based on similar mural installations.

Process/timeline

Suggested Resources

The City of Monrovia is fortunate to have many community partners who share and preserve our rich history. Artists are encouraged to access these resources to develop their project proposal.

• Monrovia Legacy Project Website
• Monrovia Public Library
• Monrovia Change Makers
• Monrovia Historical Museum

Questions

For more information on the project or design expectations, contact:

Tina Cherry, Director of Community Services at tcherry@monroviaca.gov or (626) 256-8226

Submittal

To be considered, all proposals must be received by the City Clerk’s Office no later than 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 31, 2025, as follows:

Hard Copies

Deliver to:

City Clerk’s Office

415 S. Ivy Avenue

Monrovia, CA 91016

clearly marked on the outside of the sealed envelope/package as follows:

“Satoru Tsuneishi Park Mural”

OR

Electronically sent to:

bids@monroviaca.gov, with the subject line reading “Satoru Tsuneishi Park Mural” 

Supporting Documents

• Call for Artist Satoru Tsuneishi Park Mural
• Call for Artist - Application
• City of Monrovia Agreement for the Commission of Artwork