Bemus Point, NY
Public Input Session for new Bemus Point Mural Scheduled for April 23
The Paint CHQ Mural Festival is returning to Chautauqua County in 2026, with Bemus Point serving as the new community to feature a professionally designed public mural, scheduled for completion in September. In preparation for the new mural, the Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG) and Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development (CCDPD) are seeking qualified artists to submit an application, with local and regional artists encouraged to apply before the deadline on Monday, May 11.
The goals and purpose of the Paint CHQ Mural Festival include highlighting community assets, embracing the value of public art investment, bringing visitors to the community, encouraging economic growth, building a foundation for more public art investment, and improving quality of place. Paint CHQ is intended to build on the quality of place efforts accelerated by CCPEG and CCDPD, growing regional pride and garnering significant attention and exposure, both regionally and nationally.
This year, CCPEG and CCDPD will work with the Village of Bemus Point to program the Paint CHQ Mural Festival. As the participating municipality, the village will work with a local advisory committee to determine and finalize the mural design with the selected artist.
“Steering committee members will work with CCPEG to develop a mood board, or creative brief, to help the mural artists better understand what makes Chautauqua County and specifically Bemus Point unique,” said Rebecca Wurster, CCPEG and CCDPD Special Project Coordinator. “This brief will inform creatives and ensure designs that resonate with the Village and represent the community. The jury that reviews the mural designs is made up of local community members.”
Wurster is also encouraging local residents to provide input through an online survey or by attending an upcoming public workshop in Bemus Point. The workshop will take place on Thursday, April 23 at 5:30pm in the Bemus Point Village Hall (13 Alburtus Ave.). The public survey, which is anonymous, will provide the Paint CHQ team with valuable community feedback, which will further inform the artwork themes. A link to the survey can be found online at ChooseCHQ.com/PaintCHQ.
While experienced local and regional artists are strongly encouraged to apply for this project, other local artists who are interested in learning more about how to install a mural may also want to participate in the Paint CHQ Mural Apprentice Program. The Apprentice Program is meant to offer aspiring artists an opportunity to garner valuable experience installing large-scale murals.
“This is an excellent resume builder for an aspiring muralist!” Wurster said. “Volunteer apprentices will be asked to help assist in the mural installation during the mural festival. Apprentices may learn how to scale a design to fit a building, learn about different mediums, and expand their artist-network.”
The applications for both the Paint CHQ Mural Apprentice Program and the Paint CHQ Open Artist Call can also be found online at ChooseCHQ.com/PaintCHQ.
Funding for the mural festival is earmarked for placemaking-related projects. Funding is provided through the CCPEG’s placemaking initiative. Additional funding may come from grant applications, local foundation support, and corporate sponsorships. Leaders of the project include the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC), the parent organization of CCPEG, and CCDPD.
About CCPEG – The Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth (CCPEG) serves as the main convener of economic development partners and resources to advance key projects that achieve economic prosperity in Chautauqua County. It also serves as the catalyst and broker of resources for advancing economic prosperity efforts and is the central coordinating entity for improving the quality of life in our communities, thereby attracting people and businesses to Chautauqua County to live, work, recreate, and invest. It is an initiative of the Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC).
For more information visit CHQPartnership.org.