Science Park soon to get a mural

The idea for a mural came about when the Executive Board contacted the student members of the University Council for ideas on how to spend 20,000 euros that were left from the NPO funds. About 95 percent of that sum will be spent on the mural, including permits for the building, the artist’s commission, the costs of painting, promotion, and an unveiling event. 

Council members Matias Edelstein and Claire Bruls suggested a mural because they find the campus “a little drab sometimes”. Edelstein was inspired by his hometown, Philadelphia, in the USA, which is best known as “the mural capital of the nation”. Each mural in Philadelphia represents the community or neighbourhood it was placed in, and the students aim to accomplish something similar in the Utrecht Science Park.

The student community will be asked to suggest themes for the mural on social media. The Instagram profiles of the university and the council will soon publish posts about this. The council will also make posters and contact study and student associations to spread the word. They intend to open up submissions for two weeks, after which students will have two more weeks to vote on the best ideas. Only then will the artist (which is yet to be chosen) work on the design, with complete artistic freedom. UU is in talks with Jan Is De Man to sign the artwork, but his participation is not set in stone yet.

Edelstein and Bruls do have a building in mind, but they cannot yet divulge which one. One thing is for sure, though: it will have a central location on campus. The artwork is expected to be completed by the end of this academic year when an event will be held to unveil it.