Tulagi Place Public Mural Project

Fundraising Campaign


Three Notch Theatre Dimensions (southern exterior wall)

Overview

St. Mary’s County Arts Council (SMCAC), with the support of the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) and the Southern Maryland Folklife Center (SMFC), and in conjunction with the St. Mary’s County Department of Recreation and Parks (SMCR&P) is seeking a professional public artist to create a site-specific mural design using themes and ideas from community stakeholders.

The grant is to commemorate Tulagi Place - a historic landmark from the time Lexington Park, Maryland, was created to support the community associated with the Patuxent River Naval Air Station (NAS Pax).

Tulagi Place was the commercial and community center of the “instant city” of Lexington Park. The purpose of the mural is to beautify the southern, exterior wall of the Three Notch Theatre facing into the Lexington Manor Passive Park (LMPP) and to celebrate the community’s past, present, and future. 

The Lexington Park community dates back to the 1940s when the post-Pearl Harbor military response resulted in the US rapidly building military installations. Previous to the arrival of the US Navy to the area, a small, rural and water-industry community already existed, but the instant expansion dramatically changed St. Mary’s County, catapulting it into industrial prosperity.

Tulagi Place was the town center where families shopped, dined and found postal and library services. Today, Lexington Park is one of the most diverse areas in St. Mary’s County, with residents who remember the area before NAS Pax River as well as populations who have settled since. Tulagi Place, once the center of commerce and community, has been sold to a developer and will be razed to make way for a Royal Farms service station. This mural will commemorate the history and important role that Tulagi Place played in the lives of Lexington Park residents throughout the years. 

The Lexington Manor Passive Park is the cornerstone of the revitalization effort to improve the Lexington Park community. The park hosts festivals, events, a disc-golf course, walking paths featuring fitness stations and soon a community garden. The Passive Park is also a designated “Arts Park”, and this mural project will be one in a series of art installations intended to re- center the space as a community jewel and point of pride.

Three Notch Theatre - south facing wall (photo by Jamie Naluai)

Site Location

The location for the mural is the south-facing wall of the Three Notch Theatre.

Three Notch Theatre Mural Site

  • Plywood covered window, brick exterior

  • Plywood needs to be replaced and or removed. Option to install a window film over the window would allow for an uninterrupted, cohesive design concept, or some other window covering which renders the interior completely opaque.

  • The Lexington Manor Passive Park is located on Three Notch Road, Lexington Park, Maryland 20653, near the intersection of Great Mills Road and Route 235, just outside Gate 2 of NAS Pax. It is an 80-acre park, developed in 2021. Learn more about the park here.

 

Budget

Three artists selected to submit their mural designs to the Artist Selection Committee will each receive a $600 honorarium. 

The artist recommended by the Artist Selection Committee to present their design to the community stakeholders and city staff will receive an extra $500 honorarium.

The artist selected shall be required to collaborate with SMCAC, SMFC, and St. Mary’s R&P representatives, as well as members of a community stakeholder group.

Total estimated budget for this project is not to exceed $37,500.

This grant is made possible by MSAC and SMFC Arts Relief General Operating Support (ARGOS) funds. Additional sponsorships will be sought.

Project Timeline

Request for Qualifications deadline: December 15, 2023 

Finalists notified by: January 4, 2024 

The three finalists are as follows: Jamie Naluai, Tom Rogers, and Jack Pabis.

Presentation of proposals to Artist Nomination Committee:  February 9, 2024 

Opportunities for community feedback on three proposals by: February 24, 2024 

Selection of final design by Artist Nomination Committee: March 8, 2024 

Presentation of final design and award for the mural project to community, stakeholders:  March 15, 2024 

Installation process: Summer 2024. Ribbon cutting: Summer 2024

Timing is subject to change, based on approval process.

Questions? Contact Susie Glauner, Executive Director of the St. Mary’s County Arts Council, by email at: director@smcart.org


Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC)

The Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) plays an essential role ensuring every person has access to the transformative power of the arts. 

MSAC’s mission is to advance the arts in our state by providing leadership that champions creative expression, diverse programming, equitable access, lifelong learning, and the arts as a celebrated contributor to the quality of life for all the people of Maryland.


Southern Maryland Folklife Center (SMFC)

The Southern Maryland Folklife Center is dedicated to supporting activities that identify, document, or resent the living cultural traditions of Maryland’s diverse communities.

Located at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the Center has offered a variety of workshops and programs that showcase traditional art forms and help to preserve the unique heritage of the Southern Maryland Region, including St. Mary’s, Charles, and Calvert Counties.

St. Mary’s County Arts Council (SMCAC)

The St. Mary’s County Arts Council mission is to invest in the arts and increase awareness of their value and how they can enhance the quality of our community and our individual lives. We strive to:

  • Provide advocacy, leadership, and financial support to arts organizations and artists.

  • Encourage new creative endeavors and partnerships between artists and organizations in St. Mary’s County.

  • Invest in the cultural treasures specific to St. Mary’s County.

St. Mary’s County Recreation & Parks (SMCR&P)

St. Mary’s Recreation and Parks strives to be a leader in cultivating exceptional leisure experiences in our community.

Their programs and facilities provide an enriched quality of life for the community through the preservation of natural, cultural, and historical resources, enhancement of parks and outdoor spaces, and promotion of a variety of leisure experiences.