Seattle Unveils Vibrant New Murals Downtown Celebrating the Region’s Arts and Culture

The project aims to beautify empty spaces across the city and enhance pedestrian experience

SEATTLE – The streets of Seattle are set to come alive with even more color, thanks to the Office of Arts & Culture’s Hope Corps Downtown Seattle Mural Project, a key initiative of Mayor Harrell’s Downtown Activation Plan. This collaborative effort between Visit Seattle, Downtown Seattle Association (DSA), Belltown United, CID Business Relief Team, SODO Business Improvement Area (SODO BIA), and Wing Luke Museum aims to revitalize the heart of Seattle with over 30 stunning murals, spanning from SODO to Belltown.

Each mural, planned and produced by a diverse group of local artists will serve as a vibrant canvas that celebrates the city’s rich culture and creativity. With funding support, these beautiful works of art will be maintained through 2026, ensuring their lasting impact on the community.

Photo Credit: Kristin Gillespie. Mural by Myron Curry. Inspired by Ed Schmid’s, Beginning Glassblowing

Photo Credit: Kristin Gillespie. Mural by Craig Cundiff. Inspired by Daniel James Brown’s, The Boys in the Boat

“Seattle is an art city,” said Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell. “Our city’s natural beauty is enhanced by our local artists who use our urban center as a canvas to create art the whole community can gather around and enjoy. These murals reflect the creativity and diversity of our communities, adding to the liveliness of our Downtown core during this busy summer season and beyond. I thank the artists behind them and encourage all of Seattle to come check out their work.”

The aim of the Hope Corps Downtown Seattle Mural Project is to create more pedestrian-friendly experiences, drawing attention to the contributions of local artists and highlighting the specific character of Seattle’s downtown neighborhoods and beyond.

“Murals are impactful cultural art,” said Myron Curry, local artist behind the mural inspired by Ed Schmid’s book, Beginning Glassblowing. “It not only beautifies but empowers the community to connect and be proud of who they are.”

Residents and visitors alike are invited to explore these beautiful murals and experience firsthand the transformative power of public art. For information on mural locations, participating artists, and events, visit visitseattle.org/hopecorpsmurals.

Participating Artists

Upcoming Events

• Walls Out Gallery Show (August 3-September 14)
  • A six-week exhibition featuring the work from over 20 notable Seattle mural artists associated with the Belltown Mural Festival and Downtown Seattle Mural Project.
• Belltown Mural Festival (August 13-August 18)
  • A week-long public art festival in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood. Experience live music, a bustling street market, and public painting activities. Learn more at org/events/belltown-mural-festival

About Hope Corps:
Hope Corps is an artist employment program created by the Seattle Office of Arts & Culture in the wake of COVID-19 and connects under-and-unemployed artists and cultural workers with invaluable creative career advancement opportunities. The Hope Corps Downtown Seattle Mural Project is in partnership with Visit Seattle, Downtown Seattle Association (DSA), Belltown United, CID Business Relief Team, SODO Business Improvement Area (SODO BIA), and Wing Luke Memorial Foundation. Visit seattle.gov/arts/programs/grants/hope-corps.

About Visit Seattle:
Visit Seattle has served as the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Seattle and King County for more than 50 years. A 501(c)(6) organization, Visit Seattle enhances the economic prosperity of the region through global destination branding along with competitive programs and campaigns in leisure travel marketing, convention sales and overseas tourism development. Visit visitseattle.org.

About Downtown Seattle Association:
Established in 1958, the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) is a nonprofit membership organization whose mission is to create a healthy, vibrant downtown for all. By advocating on issues including transportation, economic development and the urban experience, DSA works to ensure that downtown remains a great place to live, work, shop and play. DSA also founded and manages the Metropolitan Improvement District, a business-improvement area spanning 300 square blocks downtown. Learn more at downtownseattle.org.

About SODO BIA:
The SODO Business Improvement Area was created in 2014 with the mission to advocate for a safe, clean, connected and engaged SODO. Our goal is to enhance transportation, safety and cleanliness for the benefit of SODO’s property owners, businesses, tenants, employees and patrons by performing activities that go beyond the basic services provided by the City of Seattle. The SODO BIA covers an area of about 950 acres from the Stadiums in the north to our southern boundary on Hudson Street and from the Port of Seattle to the I-5 corridor. We represent over 1200 businesses and property owners ranging from traditional manufacturing and industrial supply to retail, restaurants, and event venues. Learn more at sodoseattle.org/.

About CID Business Relief Team:
The CID Business Relief Team is a joint effort between the Chinatown International District Business Improvement Area, Friends of Little Saigon, and the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority, alongside our CID Business Development Consultant, to assist CID small businesses in mitigating the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak. The three organizations focus on year-round economic development and small business assistance in the CID. Learn more at scidpda.org/cidbizreliefteam/.

About Wing Luke Museum:
The Wing Luke Museum’s mission is to connect everyone to the rich history, dynamic cultures, and art of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders through vivid storytelling and inspiring experiences to advance racial and social equity. As a Smithsonian Affiliate, National Park Service Affiliated Area, and the only pan-Asian American museum in the nation, The Wing Luke Museum is a national treasure, preserving and sharing the personal stories of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities Learn more at wingluke.org/.

About Belltown United:
Belltown United is a community non-profit working to amplify the voices of our residents, businesses, and stakeholders working together for a vibrant, healthy, and diverse Belltown. At its core, Belltown United is a coalition of volunteers from our neighborhood residential, business association and community council, working to advocate for the interests of neighborhood residents, businesses, and property owners — working to promote inclusion and connection, embrace urban growth and celebrate the diversity of people and places in Belltown. Learn more at belltownunited.org.  

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