As the number of towns requesting a Walldog event grows, so does the common misconception that we do this for free. That simply isn’t the case. Even though the benefits of such an event greatly out number the costs, there are a few steps that inquiring towns must take in order to have the Walldogs come.
Use the contact form on this website to find a Walldog near you. That person will act as the event host and will work along side the elected town officials to organize the event. He or she will choose which artists will be project leaders and will help the town choose the subject matter of each mural. Artists not found through this website or on the past event hosts page may not be associated with this movement.
With the help of the event host, the town will decide how many murals they will want to do, where they will be located, and the size and subject matter of each mural. The subject matter in many cases is historic in nature. They should only help promote the town as a whole, not an existing business.
The chosen project leaders for a walldog project will have complete control over all design aspects. The town only needs to make sure that each of the murals is historically accurate. For example: “Is that the right kind of train that was seen in this town?”
There are still several more things that must be done to prepare for a Walldog event. The town must pay for at least two meals a day for every artist and also provide housing for the artists’ stay. A town may make arrangements at local hotels or in some cases the town will ask residents to share their homes for the week. The town must also provide insurance for the artists during mural production. Scaffolding, ladders and lifts must be provided by the town. The artists will provide their own paint and other tools. Each wall needs to be prepped prior to the event to the project leaders specifications.
Each mural has an approximate price tag depending on how many artists work on them. The number of artists reflects the size of the mural and difficulty of the project. For example: larger murals require more painters, murals that are higher up, require more experienced artists to use lifts and scaffolding, and thus take longer to finish.
The money for each mural goes towards feeding and housing all the registered artists, material costs, and other event expenses. Each project leader should be paid for their time and efforts in designing and planning their project (a minimum of $2000.00 is expected). The event host should also be paid for their efforts (a minimum of $8000.00 is expected).
Paying for an event varies from city to city. Some cities might rely on grants to help purchase the murals. Cities might also ask for corporate sponsorships and private donations. The Walldogs can also supply items to be auctioned off that might include sketches, scaled down pieces and other artwork.
We also recommend holding a Walldog event with another local event to help defray the costs and to maximize the exposure of both events. In addition to that, we recommend contacting the surrounding news and media as it will also effect the turnout of these events and help spread the word to surrounding communities.
Take advantage of your new murals. Use them to help boost tourism in your town and to get those tourists pointed to your downtown so they can shop in your shops and eat at your restaurants. Use the murals in a similar way a downtown might use a statue or museum. Include photos of the murals in your town advertisements.
Most of the towns that have had a Walldog Event have seen a noticeable increase in tourism. To see what these towns are saying click here.
We have received many great questions about the Walldog Movement and we have organized them along side the step-by-step column to the right as each question applies to that step.
Q: Can any sign artist be an event host?
A: Sure they can. Anything is possible. But we do recommend that the event host be a person or company that has been a project leader in the past, or at least been to several other events and helped out.
Q: How are project leaders chosen?
A: Project leaders are chosen by the event host. A project leader is an artist that has proven themself in the area of design and large format painting and is a contributing Walldog.
Q: What if one of the suggested subject matters is a historic business that is still open today?
A: That would be up to the town to decide. The reason we avoid doing advertisements for existing businesses is to avoid giving an existing business an advantage over its competitors.
Q: Can the “city council” design the layout for the murals and the Walldogs just paint it?
A: Absolutely not. It would be extremely difficult for project leaders to plan their jobs using someone else’s designs. These project leaders are experienced artist in their fields and can develop a design that is not only beautiful but historically accurate.
Q: Is there a more complete list of what our town needs to supply?
A: Obviously this type of thing may vary from town to town and the event host can help develop a full list. But, here is a quick list of definite needs: bathroom access, tents or other sources of shade would be nice, housing, meals, snacks, a central meeting place, staging, scaffolding, ladders, lifts and non painting supplies including: tables, paper towels, cans and jars, drop clothes and stir sticks.
Most of these supplies can be donated by local businesses. In most cases towns will also provide entertainment.
Q: Do you paint these murals for free?
A: No.
Q: How long does it take to paint the murals?
A: There is quite a bit of planning involved before the event, but the murals will all be painted in the course of 3 to 4 days.
Q: How much do the murals cost?
A: The prices may vary depending on several factors, like size and difficulty. The event host will help the town determine the costs.
Q: What about corporation involvement?
A: Corporations are constantly looking for ways to further their image. This is an excellent way to do that and help their community. A plaque noting their donation can be placed near the mural.
Q: Tell us more about the auction.
A: An auction is a great way to raise funds to help defray the cost of the event. Auctions are usually held on the last day of the event, when interest of the projects is at its highest. Many town citizens might want to vie for a souvenir of the event.
Q: Wow this all sounds great, can you start this summer?
A: Unfortunately there is a waiting list, and as the Walldogs gain popularity that lists grows. This is a first come first serve situation, so contact us as soon as possible. It does help to have a Walldog in your community.
Q: Do you guys travel around and paint murals for a living?
A: No. Since Walldogs have demanding businesses of their own, it requires a sacrifice on their part to shut down their shop for the week. Most of these artists can only afford to do one or two events a year.
