Nine local artists will soon be painting murals around Long Beach, one in each City Council District, in communities deemed most heavily impacted by COVID-19.
The murals are scheduled to be completed by the end of the year at various community centers, a senior center and a gymnasium, according to a city news release.
“Arts and culture are the heartbeat of Long Beach and we are committed to celebrating the inspirational and diverse voices in our city,” Mayor Rex Richardson said in a statement. “By supporting and investing in the arts, we not only beautify our city, but foster a shared sense of connection and creative expression.”
Artwork on the various murals include a skateboarding squirrel, sealife, a datura plant, the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge and butterflies.
Here is a list of the murals and where they will be installed. Click each link to see concept artwork:
- “Kaleidoscope of the Beach” by Alycia Shiann (East-facing wall of the new Long Beach Senior Center in the East Village, which is currently under construction)
- “Nature After Hours in Long Beach Be Like…” by Charlótte Medina (Bixby Park Community Center south of Bixby Skatepark)
- “All for Fun, and Fun for All” by Cory Bilicko (East-facing wall of the Recreation Park Community Center)
- “Nature’s Dance” by Ms. Yellow (east-facing wall of El Dorado Park West Senior Center)
- “Unleash Nature” by Peak Murals (southwest-facing wall of Heartwell Park Community Center)
- “History Isn’t Made, It’s Built” by Omar R God (Ernest McBride Park Gymnasium)
- “There is Healing For Us” by Trinh Mai (West facing wall of the Long Beach Multi-Service Center)
- “LBC’IN You” by Michael Che Romero (east-facing wall of restrooms at Davenport Park)
- “World Within a World” by Brenda Cibrian (Northeast-facing wall of Ramona Park Community Center)
The selection process included an online vote that started in June, allowing the public to pick among a total of 27 finalists, three finalists for each location. Voting concluded on July 8.
Earlier this year, city staff and the Arts Council for Long Beach carried out a community survey to find themes that best fit the local community for each mural.
This series of murals was made possible through a portion of the $900,000 in COVID-19 relief dollars the city allocated for arts and culture organizations through the Long Beach Recovery Act.