Hagerstown Seeks Photographers for Outdoor Mural Project Showcasing Local Faces

The Hagerstown Arts & Entertainment District is actively seeking photographic submissions for its upcoming “Faces of Hagerstown” exhibition, an outdoor mural project designed to highlight the diverse human experiences within the city. According to a press release from the City of Hagerstown, this initiative will update the existing photo mural gallery located along the Hagerstown Cultural Trail, stretching from the West Antietam Street entrance plaza to Meritus Park. The new exhibition will feature 26 high-resolution black-and-white photographs, each reproduced at a substantial 36” x 36” size and printed on durable ¾” PVC display panels, intended for display for several years. The project aims to capture the essence of Hagerstown by showcasing individuals of all ages and backgrounds who live, work, or study in the city, depicted in candid artistic images reflecting their daily lives.

The “Faces of Hagerstown” project extends an invitation to photographers of all skill levels and with any type of equipment, including smartphone cameras. To ensure a broad representation, the selection committee will draw one-third of the exhibited photographs from each of three distinct groups: students enrolled in Washington County’s schools, colleges, and universities; professional photographers and photojournalists, regardless of their residence; and photographers of any age or ability level, also from any location. The selection criteria will prioritize creativity, originality, and artistic merit (20%), technical excellence (20%), composition (20%), and overall impact (40%).

Photographs submitted must have been captured between December 22, 2025, and June 7, 2026. The extended deadline for all submissions is June 8, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Submission requirements include uploading a completed submission form, a model release form, and the photograph itself via Dropbox. The images must prominently feature the human face as the primary subject or focal point and convey the truth of the Hagerstown experience as the central theme. Submissions will be accepted as digital files in black and white, with file extensions of .jpg or .jpeg. These digital files should be in a square format, possess a minimum width of 7,200 pixels, maintain a resolution of at least 200 dpi, and not exceed a file size of 20 MB. The sole compensation for selected photographers is the opportunity for their work to be featured in this significant public art installation.

The timeline for the 2026 “Faces of Hagerstown” project indicates that the call for photographers began on December 22, 2025, with the photo submission deadline set for March 27, 2026. Following the review period by the Public Art & Design Work Group, which concludes on March 31, 2026, winning artists are scheduled to be announced by June 11, 2026. The installation of the new murals is expected to be completed by July 21, 2026, with a public unveiling to follow. For any inquiries regarding the submission process or the project, interested individuals can contact Brittany Arizmendi at barizmendi@hagerstownmd.org.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the City of Hagerstown

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