Roosevelt Reimagined: Roosevelt Sign Design

OPPORTUNITY

The Roosevelt Neighborhood Association is seeking an artist to design a bold and joyful painted sign spelling out "ROOSEVELT" to be mounted on temporary fencing along NE 65th Street. The artist will propose both the font / letter shapes and a painted design to fill the interior of each letter. The design will then be brought to life by community members at a paint-by-number style painting event. The selected artist will be compensated $500. 

BACKGROUND

The Roosevelt Reimagined project aims to brighten our busiest streets by installing custom artwork on the fences around vacant lots. The project turns physical symbols of abandonment into catalysts for neighborhood pride and future revitalization.

ABOUT THE CALL

We invite artists to propose a design for a hand-painted "ROOSEVELT" sign to be displayed on temporary fencing along NE 65th St between Brooklyn Ave NE and 14th Ave NE. Each letter will be approximately 2 feet wide by 3 feet tall. The letter shapes will be cut from weather-resistant fabric.

Once selected, the artist will work with the project team to finalize the design and deliver a paint-by-number style template that community members will use to paint the letters at a community painting event. This may require simplifying or altering the design to allow for community participation. The artist is not expected to participate in transferring the final design to the fabric letters, nor in painting or installation. The Roosevelt Neighborhood Association will source all materials.

We invite artists of all ages, backgrounds, and styles to apply. Preference will be given to artists with a connection, past or present, to the Roosevelt or Ravenna neighborhoods.

DESIGN GUIDELINES

• Designs should use clearly defined, separable color regions that translate well to a paint-by-number format. Gradients and highly blended designs are discouraged.
• Designs should speak to a theme of renewal, revitalization, or reimagining the Roosevelt neighborhood. The sign installation will share a fence segment with community-painted flower shapes.
• As a condition for using the fences, designs must not include any political imagery, symbols, or messaging.

PROJECT TIMELINE

Call for artists deadline - Sunday, June 21st at 11:59 PM PT

Anticipated selection - late June 2026

Design finalization with selected artist - mid July 2026

Installation date - late July 2026

If you have any questions or issues, email jack.nash@rooseveltseattle.org