The City of Cape Town’s planned Chapel Street mural project in District Six is calling for artistic work that reflects the area’s diverse histories and lived experiences, with community collaboration and cultural sensitivity central to the brief for prospective mural artists, Cape {town} Etc reports.
The project is also intended to carry forward the legacy of late District Six artist and educator Ayesha Price, who worked with residents and community members to create collaborative artworks and contributed to the process of developing murals in the area.
The brief, prepared for the City’s Department of Urban Planning and Design and revised in January 2026, sets out the experience, technical skills and approach expected from artists working on the project. It prioritises artists who can work alongside communities, understand displacement and restitution narratives, and create durable public art with an educational purpose.
Community voices at the centre of the murals
Artists are expected to demonstrate experience in community engagement and participatory art, including co-creating work with residents and young people.
A direct connection to District Six is not listed as an absolute requirement, but applicants should be able to show cultural sensitivity and an understanding of the area’s history of displacement and restitution.
The brief emphasises that the murals should represent the range of stories within District Six rather than focus on a single narrative or a small number of well-known figures. Artists should be able to incorporate community feedback while maintaining their artistic integrity.
The City says it will provide support with obtaining the necessary public art licences.
The brief calls for strong painting and design abilities, experience with large-scale mural projects and an understanding of the practical demands of outdoor public art.
Applicants should be familiar with painting techniques and materials, surface preparation, weather-resistant finishes and digital design tools used to prepare concepts and mock-ups.
They should also be able to plan projects, estimate costs, prepare proposals and manage timelines, budgets and materials.
The work may require painting at height using scaffolding, ladders or lifts, so artists must be able to work safely and understand the use of protective equipment.
A formal arts qualification is not compulsory, although a bachelor’s degree in fine arts would be an advantage, as the brief recognises alternative routes into the profession, including workshops, apprenticeships, private lessons and self-taught practice.
The City’s guidance states that the murals should avoid stereotypes, portrayals that simplify or sanitise the community’s experiences, and imagery that could cause conflict or degrade District Six residents.
It also rules out political messaging, brand advertising, the romanticising of poverty, and content promoting racism, xenophobia or hate speech. Animals and flowers should not be used as the primary imagery.
Instead, the brief calls for visually strong work that respects the complexity and dignity of the stories being told, with artistic style guided by the project’s themes and community input.
Artists are expected to submit a comprehensive portfolio showing their range, style and experience with completed large-scale works. The brief recommends including at least five pieces, with photographs that show both the full mural in its setting and close-up details.
Each artwork should be accompanied by information such as its title, completion year, location, dimensions, materials and a short explanation of its concept and any community involvement.
The portfolio should also include sketches, mock-ups, progress photographs and evidence of community consultations where available. An artist statement, biography, CV and contact details are among the other requested documents.
Particular consideration should be given to previous work with displaced or marginalised communities, youth participation, authentic storytelling and projects that respond to local history and culture. The brief encourages a collaborative rather than extractive approach to working with communities.
The project builds on the City’s wider public art programme, as eight new public artworks were completed across Cape Town during the 2025/26 financial year, bringing local stories, culture and community identity into public spaces while creating opportunities for emerging artists.
🎨 Artists wanted! Apply to create vibrant murals in Chapel Street, District Six, as part of the City’s public art initiative.
📧 Submit your CV and portfolio to [email protected] by 30 October 2026, 17:00.
Brief: https://t.co/fy3ZsrUbIJ https://t.co/EcHSpW2fm3
— City of Cape Town (@CityofCT) October 12, 2026
Continuing Ayesha Price’s legacy
Price was a District Six resident whose work brought community members into the art-making process, including people without previous experience of creating art.
Her practice helped residents contribute their own perspectives to collaborative artworks and supported efforts to retain and build the area’s cultural heritage.
The brief notes that Price also contributed to the public realm process for developing District Six murals, but was unable to complete that work following illness and her premature death in 2024.
It adds that people expressed a desire to continue this work in celebration of her memory, positioning the mural project as one way of carrying that legacy forward.
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Picture: The City of Cape Town
