The 125th Street BID is currently accepting submissions for our Neighborhood Navigator Art Competition (2025). Please see details below!
To submit a design, you must create a free Submittable account.
RFD OVERVIEW: The 125th Street Business Improvement District (BID) is inviting local artists to submit innovative designs that guide visitors, shoppers, and residents to key destinations throughout Harlem. These designs will be incorporated into creative wayfinding tools that reflect the distinctiveness of Harlem, elevating commercial corridors, historic landmarks, and local sites that are often overlooked in conventional wayfinding signage. We are seeking artwork that can be used as an identifying emblem and on wayfinding signage, banners, window splashes, and murals. Our objective is to reinforce Harlem’s cultural identity by showcasing its unique character, history, and vibrant shopping experience through artistic expression.
This initiative, titled “Harlem Mainstreet Passport” (name subject to change after community engagement), combines wayfinding and visuals that utilize existing street furniture, physical signage, street pole banners, and storefront window splashes. The program will include several digital and physical elements and gamified challenges with rewards that can be used to boost local foot traffic, promote a clean streets awareness campaign designed to cultivate the community’s love for Harlem, and connect those who live, work, visit, and invest in Harlem to the neighborhood’s public art, cultural institutions, and local businesses.
Artists are encouraged to participate in one, two, or all three of the following categories:
(1) Wayfinding Emblem
(2) Wayfinding Signage Imagery for Streetpole Banners
(3) Window Splashes
The submissions should showcase Harlem’s historic essence and diverse offerings, including landmarks, cultural experiences, historic sites, music, art, architecture, historical figures, food, fashion, shopping, and other attractions. Designs should appeal to audiences who live, work, visit, and invest in Harlem with the goal of driving economic and social activity along 125th Street.
While preference will be given to submissions from local artists, entries from artists outside the area will also be considered. The selection committee will evaluate submissions based on how effectively they capture and convey the spirit of Harlem.
1) Wayfinding Emblem: One winner rewarded $2,000. Design a unique emblem that captures the essence of Harlem, which can be used in conjunction with a QR code directing users to the BID's wayfinding resources. The Wayfinding Emblem will be used on street furniture, brochures, promotional materials, websites, and social media.
2) Wayfinding Signage Imagery for Streetpole Banners: Five winners and each rewarded $2,000. Five different designs will be selected and used on 8’ X 5’ double-sided banners (yielding 124 images) on street poles, promotional materials, websites, and social media. Designs may include notable street signs, wayfinding icons, famous buildings, cars, and Harlem-based street furniture. The ideal artwork must also include negative spacing for QR codes that will be integrated into signage materials and direct users to the BID's wayfinding resources. Designs will be featured across street furniture, existing murals produced by the BID, participating businesses, and property owners.
3) Window Splashes: Two winners and each rewarded $2,000 and $1,500 for installation fee. Unique Wayfinding window splash designs. These designs will be temporary displays on vacant storefront windows or participating businesses. The window splashes will also include the selected wayfinding emblem and a QR code directing users to the BID's wayfinding resources. Artists who submit designs for Window Splashes, Displays, and Paintings must be able to recreate/paint the designs on windows if selected to be a winner.
SCHEDULE OF DESIGN ACTIVITIES
Submissions Due: November 10th, 2025
Winning Submissions Announced: December 10th, 2025
To enter, please click on the Orange Submit Button next to Guidelines, scroll to the bottom after the guidelines page opens up, confirm you are 21+ by checking the Eligibility Form, and then complete the design submission form.