The Chewelah Creative District is looking for creative ideas to help transform the outside of the KCHW radio station building.

About the Space

KCHW is quickly becoming the heart of Chewelah’s live music scene. Inside this one building, you’ll find:

• A 45-seat theater
• A working radio station
• A recording studio
• Home base for the Crooked Creek Radio Theater Company
• There’s a lot happening inside—but from the outside, you’d never know it.
• The building is a plain metal structure with a hard-to-find alley entrance.

Along with this main art installation, we have also received the funding to:

• Install lighted call letters on the tower
• Add a second awning to match the one already on the building
• (Potentially) add a marquee to promote shows and events

These additional items are budgeted separately & not expected to be included in your proposal.

The goal:

Make it obvious from the outside that something exciting is happening inside.

What We’re Looking For:

We’re inviting artists and designers to share ideas for a bold, modern, eye-catching exterior installation. We’re especially interested in designs that:

• Use light in a creative way, inspired by the northern lights
• Look great both day and night
• Clearly connect to music and radio (this could be visual, symbolic, or even a quote)
• Include colors from the KCHW logo
• Combine multiple materials (not just paint—think metal, acrylic, wood, lighting elements, etc.)
• Feel fun, welcoming, and “selfie-worthy”

A painted mural is totally fine—but it should still include some kind of mixed materials or dimensional elements.

Bonus ideas (not required, but encouraged):

• Interactive elements
• Playing off the “small theater” feel (like marquee lights or vintage signage)
• Showing how a marquee could be added later, if it’s not part of your design

A Few Practical Details:

• The design will cover the entire south wall of the building (see application for measurements).
• The building is metal and gets very hot in summer, so we’d love to see designs that include panels mounted slightly away from the wall (about 8–10 inches) to create shade and a better surface to work with.
• You do not have to build or install the project yourself—we can help find contractors. That said, your idea should be realistic for the budget.

Info Sessions (Optional)

We’ll host two casual info sessions where we’ll share inspiration, walk through the application, and answer questions. You can attend on Zoom* or in person at the KCHW Studio.

Please RSVP using the form below.

*A recording will be emailed to everyone who pre-registers for the zoom info session

Attendance is not required to apply.

Budget & Timeline:

Budget: $13,000 total (this includes materials, installation, and your design fee)

Key Dates:

• Applications open: March 19, 2026
• Zoom info session: March 24, 6:30–8:00 PM
• In-person info session at KCHW: March 25, 6:30–8:00 PM
• Deadline to submit ideas: April 10 at 6:00 PM
• Selected artist notified: April 17
• Planning week: April 20–27
• Project work: April 28 – June 10
• Final deadline: June 10, 2026

A Note on Budget & Approach

Our budget isn’t huge, and the timeline is tight—but we know rural creatives are great at making things happen. We encourage you to think about:

• Reclaimed or repurposed materials
• Donated supplies
• Ways to involve local volunteers
• We’re happy to work together with the selected artist to bring the idea to life—finding materials, contractors, and community help along the way.

(We also have additional funding requests that could increase the budget.)