Art in Public Places: Murals - The Lincoln Center

The City of Fort Collins Art in Public Places program (based out of The Lincoln Center) is working with local artists to paint over 50 murals throughout Fort Collins!

The largest mural project of the season was recently completed in northeast Fort Collins. The 190-foot long Maple Hill Community Mural is located on the southeast corner of Turnberry and Richards Lake Road.

The community paining the mural in Maple Hill.

As part of the Vibrant Neighborhoods Grant Program, artist Kristen Vohs was selected to create a mural on the south wing walls of the Turnberry underpass with members of the Maple Hill neighborhood. Kristen laid out the mural, painted the hard-to-reach areas then created outlines and indicated colors for the members of the neighborhood to paint. Over 60 painters wore masks, were divided into time slots and given socially distant areas to paint.

The project is a partnership between Art in Public Places, the City’s Neighborhood Services department, the Maple Hill HOA and Fort Collins artist Kristen Vohs.

A woman painting a concrete barrier mural. She is lying flat on her stomach and applying the color blue.

In response to new COVID-19 precautions for restaurants downtown, Art in Public Places and City’s Engineering Department—in collaboration with the Jason and Lucy Greer Foundation for the Arts and the Downtown Fort Collins Creative District—are hiring local artists to paint temporary murals on the concrete barriers around outdoor dining areas throughout downtown.

A woman painting a mural on a concrete barrier in downtown Fort Collins

Check out the completed murals at Beau Jo’s, Bistro Nautile, Blind Pig Pub, Pour Brothers Community Tavern, The Reserve by Old Elk Distillery, The Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant and Sushi Plus. Artist Wildrose Hamilton has also started painting a dragonfly-inspired mural on the barrier outside the Welsh Rabbit Cheese Bistro.

Gale Whitmana paiting a mural with colorful handprints on a concrete barrier.

Ren Burke painting a mural of bird silhouettes on a dusky gradient.

In addition to these special projects, Art in Public Places is continuing its two annual mural programs. In its 15^th year, the Transformer Cabinet Mural program will paint 28 electrical cabinets all around town. As the first in the nation, this graffiti mitigation program for the City’s Light and Power Utility brings art to the public spaces of our community. The program has completed 320 unique murals to date. In its 10^th year, Pianos About Town—a collaborative project between Art in Public Places, Bohemian Foundation, and the Downtown Development Authority—will paint 13 murals on working pianos. Pianos About Town combines art and music for the enjoyment of the community. Each summer, a new piano is painted every two weeks (currently in Oak Street Plaza) allowing the public to meet the artist and see the progress of the mural as they work. The completed pianos rotate to locations throughout Fort Collins inviting people to admire the artwork and play a tune. To date, over 120 murals have been painted.

A half-painted transformer box with birds as the subject.

Creative Kids' Collective priming their piano.

Willow Sedam painting a nature scene on a piano in Old Town Square.

While you enjoy the fall in Fort Collins, please also enjoy all the wonderful murals that are being added to the community. Learn more about these projects and programs on the Art in Public Places website.