SHEPHERDSTOWN — In its regular meeting on June 12, the Town Council approved Town Run Tap House and Community Pub co-owner Todd Cotgreave’s proposal of installing a community mural on the front and side of the tap house, which would be designed by community artists and funded by a beautification grant.

While council member David Rosen is working on securing a grant for the mural, the Shepherdstown Mural Project is now ready for community participation in developing design ideas for the mural.

Community members can pick up templates to draw their mural concepts on at Town Run Tap House and Community Pub, Town Hall and Four Seasons Books. Templates must be returned to one of these locations by Aug. 25, to be considered for implementation in the mural.

“One of the main things we want to push out about this, is this is not about this business. This is for the town, and by definition will not be an advertisement for this business,” Cotgreave said.

“It’s going to be fantastic. It is the perfect wall in town for [a mural] — it’s a big wall, it’s got tons of space, it’s an entrance to town, so everyone gets to see it. Plus, it’s very bland, too — just to have a wall of yellow doesn’t reflect the town,” Cotgreave said, referring to the wall’s current appearance. “A cool mural will reflect the town — we are unique, we are special, and a mural that reflects that is just perfect.”

The project’s board — Cotgreave, local potter Joy Bridy and Shepherd University art professor Sonya Evanisk, who led the Shepherd campus underpass’ mural project — hopes the submissions will incorporate themes of movement, reminiscent of a growing town. According to Cotgreave, these themes of movement could be expressed through a depiction of a parade, the Town Run or the Potomac River.

Two final mural designs, based on the template submissions, will be brought before the public and decided between during a Historic Landmarks Commission meeting in October. Painting of the mural will take place sometime after the meeting is held, this fall.

“We’re really leaving this up to the town coming up with our ideas and thoughts. Whatever the town hands in, those are really going to be the thoughts incorporated into the mural design,” Cotgreave said, mentioning Chris Steffey and Jason Care are some of the local designers who will create the two mural designs based on the template submissions.

“We want to put as much effort as possible into this,” Cotgreave said. “This is a gift to the town, so it should be of the town, by the town, for the town.”

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/groups/TownRunMural/.