Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and the Department of Arts & Culture are calling on local creatives to give a facelift to iconic murals of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In a bid to reinvigorate a duo of 25-year-old murals on the N. New Braunfels overpass sign, a new art contest has been unveiled, targeting artists from Bexar County eager to etch their mark on the community landmark, as reported on the city's official website.

The competition is open to individual artists aged 18 and above, with two potential winners—each to adorn one side of the overpass; each winner will receive a $4,000 cash prize, recognition in official accolade announcements, and a gift from the Department of Arts & Culture. Brush-wielding contenders have until May 22, to submit their entries which should embody "Let Freedom Ring" or "The Legacy of the Eastside" sans any text or artist signatures on the piece submissions must be novel works expressly forged for this competition, and artists can't team up for their submissions or execute group projects.

Submissions are required to align with the sign area measurements of 8ft in height and 36ft in width, sticking to traditional 2D artistic media, as specified in the contest rules. The essence of this initiative, as McKee-Rodriguez highlighted, is to enshrine the enduring influence of Dr. King and honor the rich cultural fabric of the Eastside district. Entrants must fill out an online form with accuracy and furnish a high-quality image of their original artwork to be considered for evaluation.

For those gearing up to let their creativity run rampant in homage to Dr. King's vision and the Eastside's heritage, further details and the submission portal can be found at sa.gov, with everything you need to know before the looming deadline kicks in, full information regarding the submission process and guidelines are neatly laid out on the site, ensuring artists have all they need to potentially see their work become a new beacon of hope and history on the storied overpass.