Supporters of a street mural in downtown Port Townsend that will say "Black Lives Matter" are asking the Port Townsend Arts Commission for $2,500 to pay for the creation of the temporary chalk artwork. 

The arts commission will hold a special meeting at noon Wednesday, June 17 to talk about the funding request.

At its meeting Monday, the Port Townsend City Council agreed to a quickly hatched proposal for the street art in the city's historic downtown, and directed city staff to work with organizers of the effort so it could be finished in time for Friday's Juneteenth Freedom March.

The mural is planned for Water Street near Pope Marine Park.

The Freedom March will start at 11 a.m. Friday at the park, and continue through town before ending at the Sims Way and Haines Place intersection near Safeway.

According to the application for financial support, the mural will be a grassroots art project "with everyone able to participate and add to the vision."

"The whole community is invited to attend both the Freedom March and to participate in decorating the downtown streets with art and words of support and celebration for the Black Lives Matter movement as well as the Black, Indigenous, and people of color in our community," the application notes.

The $2,500 will be spent on materials for the mural, according to the application.

The Port Townsend Arts Commission has a budget of $24,600 for 2020, and grants totaling $14,460 have already been funded.

Minus the grants already awarded, the commission has a remaining budget of $10,140.

If the mural funding is approved, the commission will have $7,640 remaining in its budget for this year.