2025 Street Wise Mural Festival
Street Wise Arts is overjoyed following the success of the seventh annual Street Wise Mural Festival, which installed eleven new public art murals across the City of Boulder by local and international artists in celebration of Joy as Resistance.
The festival took place September 26 and 27 in Downtown and North Boulder, with murals now enlivening the community thanks to ten generous wall partners: Shining Mountain Waldorf School, KGNU Community Radio, Museum of Boulder, People’s Productions, OZO Coffee, RIOS, Tebo Properties, First United Methodist Church, and two private residences.
This year saw a record number of attendees and volunteers joining to support the festival and participate in near sold-out events, including mural tours, an artist panel, and a hands-on artist workshop. The 2025 festival theme of Joy as Resistance invited artists to explore how joy can serve as a powerful form of resilience and collective healing. While active resistance and social justice remain central to Street Wise’s mission, this year’s festival serves as a reminder that embracing joy is a radical way to imagine a brighter future and to unite our communities.
“This year’s festival reminded us that joy itself is a radical act,” said Leah Brenner Clack, Executive Director and Founder of Street Wise Arts. “Through public art, we resist despair and division by celebrating creativity, culture, and collective healing. Each mural becomes a beacon of hope that belongs to everyone.”
Over the past decade, Street Wise Arts has installed more than 170 murals across Boulder, transforming the city’s landscape into an open-air museum of creativity and dialogue. This year also marked the continuation of digital art activations, with several existing murals newly enhanced through augmented reality using the ARTivive app. The collection now includes 20 murals with interactive AR features, offering new ways for audiences to engage with art in public space.
Investing in Artists and Equity
Street Wise Arts continues to raise the bar in its commitment to artist support and diversity. This year’s festival achieved a 58% increase in artist pay compared to 2024, reinforcing the organization’s belief that investing in artists has both immediate and long-term community impact.
“Art has incredible value to the community—not only through its economic return, but also in combating isolation and disconnection,” Clack said.
Diversity remained central to the festival’s curatorial approach, with 80% of participating artists identifying as women, artists of color, or LGBTQIA+. The organization also supported three emerging artists through its mentorship program, offering hands-on experience and professional guidance.
Street Wise Mural Festival was made possible by grant support from the Boulder Arts Commission funded by the City of Boulder, an event grant funded by Visit Boulder and Create Boulder, and sponsors including Wana Brands, Shining Mountain Waldorf School, Conscience Bay Company, Downtown Boulder Partnership, Crowd on Pearl, Mountain Sun, Rosetta Hall, Aviano Coffee, and Mister Oso. Special thanks to our operational grant funders including Boulder County Arts Alliance, Colorado Creative Industries, and Community Foundation of Boulder County.
