Dozens of new murals brighten Seattle streetscape

A mission to revitalize Seattle neighborhoods with displays of exuberant public art is bringing more than 40 new murals to public spaces across the city.

Why it matters: The initiative is part of Mayor Bruce Harrell's broader plan to breathe life back into the heart of the city after the COVID-19 pandemic while also supporting local artists.

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Driving the news: The city has commissioned the new murals in Belltown, Downtown, Pioneer Square, the Chinatown-International District and SoDo, each designed to reflect the unique character and history of its location.

• Several of the murals are inspired by books with Seattle ties, including a piece by artist Craig Cundiff on First Hill that's based on "The Boys in the Boat" by Daniel James Brown.

A mural by Craig Cundiff based on the book "The Boys in the Boat" at Hotel Sorrento. Photo: Courtesy of Visit Seattle

• As of this week, 16 pieces have been completed and nearly all had been started, per the Downtown Seattle Association.

Two pieces by Louie Gong will be installed in November to align with Bruce Lee's Nov. 27 birthday.

Additional artists include Stevie Shao , Ty Juvinel , Celeste Byers , EGO , Yoonmi Cho and Joey Nix .

Muralist Stevie Shao works on "The Raid" at 2216 Fifth Ave. Photo: Courtesy of the Downtown Seattle Association

What they're saying: "Murals are impactful cultural art," said Myron Curry, the local artist behind the mural inspired by Ed Schmid's book "Beginning Glassblowing" at 2227 Fifth Ave.

• "It not only beautifies but empowers the community to connect and be proud of who they are."
• Interest in murals exploded during the pandemic when boarded-up windows became canvases, Shao told the Seattle Times .
• "Having publicly accessible art allows people to discover new artists and learn about different mediums."

Artist Carlos "They Drift" Aguilar stands in front of his mural "Through the Briar" at 2230 Fourth Avenue South. Photo: Courtesy of Austin Wilson. Editor's note: The name of the artist was corrected in this caption.

Behind the scenes: The project is supported by more than $700,000 from the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture's Hope Corps and is a collaboration between the city and partners including the Wing Luke Museum.

The big picture: Check out Visit Seattle to see a map of all the mural locations.

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