Above image © Sector Seventeen

In order to beautify public areas, enhance the quality of life for Boise citizens, attract tourism, promote arts and culture, and encourage businesses to locate within the City—thus expanding Boise’s economic base—the City of Boise promotes artist-designed murals through the implementation of a clarified process for mural permitting and the Artist Designed Mural Guidelines.   

QUICKLINKS

Application Process Flow Chart
Mural Guidelines
Mural Application Phase Two 
Frequently Asked Questions 
Retroactive Mural Application
Public Mural Approval Process 

APPLICATION & PERMITTING PROCESS

The application and permitting process for Artist Designed Murals is a two-phase process.

Phase One

Applicants will submit completed applications for location approval through Planning and Development Services. The mural design is not yet needed. For commercial locations within the Design Review or Downtown Design Review Overlay zones, a Zoning Certificate or Design Review application will need to be submitted. For commercial locations within the Historic District or Historic District with Design Review Overlay zones, a Commercial Certificate of Appropriateness application will need to be submitted. If you have questions about which application is correct for your project, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions document or contact a Planning and Development Services staff member.

Applications that meet the mural guidelines will be reviewed administratively and receive approval with any relevant conditions a maximum of 15 weekdays after all application materials are submitted. Larger or more complex mural requests that Staff cannot approve based on the mural guidelines will be reviewed by the Design Review Committee or Historic Preservation Commission through the public hearing process. Once approved, the applicant will move on to complete Phase Two.

If the applicant would like to submit an application for multiple contiguous locations or locations on one property under the same ownership, the project may be able to be submitted under one application. Depending on the scale of the proposals, Planning Staff may still require separate applications.

Phase Two

This portion of the application will be completed and submitted to the department of Arts and History's Public Art Program Manager. Phase two requires the applicant to submit the final mural design, information about the mural, and potential Boise Mural Registry participation. The process may take up to an additional three weeks.

BOISE MURAL REGISTRY

The purpose of the Phase Two Mural Registration Program is to promote and support artists and businesses by maintaining a high-quality, publicly accessible mural map that encourages exploration, learning and tourism. The mural registry is vetted by the City. Vintage Murals, or Murals that were installed before the new mural permitting process, may be added to the Boise Mural Registry via the informal application process. 

Explore the Boise Mural Registry.

BE PART OF THE ACTION

The Public Art Program Team is available as a resource to advise on process, assist with project development, location identification, answer application questions, and provide general assistance. 

Stephanie Johnson, Public Art Program Manager, sgjohnson@cityofboise.org or 208-608-7044