Call For Artist: Barbour County- America250 Mural Project

Posted on by sfrey

Barbour County Commission is seeking qualifications from experienced mural artists interested in completing an America250 mural project in Barbour County. 

A public mural will be installed in each of West Virginia’s 55 counties as part of the America250 Mural Project, a statewide initiative supported by the West Virginia Department of Tourism and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This project will celebrate America’s 250th anniversary by showcasing the rich history, culture, and
future of our communities.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Location: To be determined by County Commission
Budget: $5,000 grant
Deadline for Project Completion: April 1, 2026
Theme: Artists are encouraged to explore themes of local and national history, community
identity, innovation, and visions for America’s future. Possible concepts may include:
Historic figures or leaders ⭐️ Important places, landscapes, or communities ⭐️ Significant events (local or national) ⭐️ Contributions to technology, industry, or the arts ⭐️ Aspirations for the next 250 years

The murals will be featured as part of West Virginia’s America250 celebrations in July 2026.

ARTIST ELIGIBILITY

✅ Open to professional artists or artist teams with experience in large-scale public art.
✅ Projects must be completed by April 1, 2026.
✅ Artists are eligible to contribute murals to multiple counties

BUDGET AND SCOPE OF WORK

‼️ Total budget: $5,000 (covers artist fees, materials, supplies, insurance, and installation)
‼️ The selected artist(s) will work with the county commission and relevant community partners to finalize the design concept and complete installation.
‼️ The mural must be durable, weather-resistant, and suitable for long-term public display with an anti-graffiti clear coat.
‼️ The mural may be painted on mural cloth or directly onto a structure.

‼️The mural must incorporate West Virginia’s American250 logo in the deisgn https://wvtourism.imagerelay.com/sb/fa56493a-ef29-4045-bfb9-1fd509997453/america250-mural-project

Requirements:

‼️Proposed Sketches due no later than January 13th for review at the January 16th County Commission meeting.
Interested artists should submit the form below.

Mud Run

Posted on by sfrey

Mud, Guts, and Freedom Mud Run

Think you know the Barbour County Fairgrounds? We’re gonna take you from the top to the bottom, and the front to the back of one of the wildest and most rugged fairground properties in West Virginia with the Mud, Guts, and Freedom Mud Run on July 5th.

Pre-register through the mail – Registration Form

Race Date: July 5th
Location: Barbour County Fairgrounds – park at the ball fields.
8am: Day-of registration and packet pickup at the Quonset Hut at the top of fairgrounds
9:30am: Kids race
10am: Mud Race start
11:30: awards

The race clocks in at right around 5K, but be ready to go up and down hills of all sorts, cross creeks, rocks, mud puddles, and tree limbs, navigate barriers and push yourself to the limit! You’ll probably want to leave your phone in your car.

The Mud, Guts, and Freedom Mud Run raises funds for Barbour County Middle School Soccer and Cross Country programs. You can register ahead of time or on the day of the event and you are welcome to compete as an individual or as a four person team.

This unique race is a low-key, community-driven event that is created by and for our younger teenage kids, with help and support from the county commission and parks & recreation department.

Stay after to enjoy food vendors and the Fourth of July fireworks celebration at the Fairgrounds. Click here for a list of other July 5th Activities!