Call to Artists — Westerville’s Good Citizens. One of Twelve Murals Planned for Semi-Quincentennial.
The Westerville History Museum and the City of Westerville invite artists to submit proposals for a mural honoring the individuals and organizations who have shaped the city through service, advocacy, and bold acts of citizenship. The mural is part of the America 250 Westerville History Mural Project, commemorating the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
This mural will be one of nine works chosen from artist submissions that bring Westerville’s layered history to life.
The Good Citizens mural will recognize those who helped enslaved people escape to freedom, preserved local Black and abolitionist history, and continue to build a more inclusive, compassionate community today.
Artists are encouraged to include imagery inspired by:
William Hanby, George Stoner, and Thomas Alexander were Underground Railroad figures whose homes served as safe havens.
The Stoner House, formerly an inn that sheltered freedom seekers.
Dacia Shoemaker and William Fouse, who fought to preserve the Hanby House as a historical site. Fouse was the first Black graduate of Westerville Schools and Otterbein University.
Westerville Area Resource Ministry (WARM), which has provided food, economic, and spiritual support since 1972.
FORM 5 Prosthetics, an organization empowering the limb difference community.
Special Olympics Ohio, headquartered in Westerville, promotes inclusion through sport.
Reference photos include portraits of Hanby, Fouse, Shoemaker, and Alexander, as well as historic images of the Hanby and Stoner homes and family scenes tied to their legacies.
Artists can access all information, including reference materials, photos, and submission guidelines, through the RFP at https://www.visitwesterville.org/250-2/
Submissions are open through December 1, 2025. Selected artists will receive a $1,000 commission, with murals to be unveiled in 2026 as part of Westerville’s America 250 celebration.
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