Paint murals at Clinton’s Paint It Back festival

The free Paint It Back (PIB) festival returns to The Sawmill Museum grounds in the Lyons District of Clinton August 17 – 24. The festival was created by two Clinton artists, Gabi Torres and Chris Shannon, and turns an old car dealership on the north end of Clinton into a canvas for visiting national and local muralists. Murals will be painted all week and the event ends with an all day festival on August 24. The address is 2231 Grant Street, with the building sitting on Main Avenue.

“PIB is an example of how artistic expression can be a catalyst for public wellbeing,” said Gabi Torres, co-founder of Paint It Back. “The building will be hard to miss, as the renderings are amazing, full of color and movement. The public is invited to attend every day to see the progress and join us on August 24 with a block party to celebrate the finishing of murals,”

The Block Party is Saturday, August 24 from 12 – 10 p.m. and celebrates the artists and community with music and art. The artists will be putting final touches on their murals throughout the day. Kids can experiment with spray painting on walls. Interdance features disco intervention, a follow the leader dance experience geared towards getting children to engage with the murals.

DJ Now & Then will play music from 2 – 6 p.m. as the artists finish their murals and The Stockwells will perform from 7-10pm. The event is BYOB and several food trucks will be on site.

“The “Paint It Back” Festival is not just an event; it’s a testament to the power of art to rejuvenate and revitalize our community.” said Chris Shannon, co-founder of Paint It Back. “This year is pretty neat for me and us, as the artists are a mix of last year’s artists and peers from the Midwest. A few were artists I’ve known about for years and now we get to paint together in my hometown.”

Paint it Back is located at the old car dealership building at the end of Main Avenue. Around 2010, McEleney Motors donated the building to The Sawmill Museum and it is now a hub for art in the community. The Sawmill Museum is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the rich history of Clinton’s lumber industry.

For more information, contact Paint It Back at paintitback.org@gmail.com or visit their website .

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com.