The Changing Phoenix Mural Scene: Best New Walls

Phoenix's public mural culture has grown from scattered painted building fronts to a deliberate and internationally recognized public art program over the past decade. The transformation is visible throughout the city, with the most significant concentration in central Phoenix arts districts — Roosevelt Row, Grand Avenue, and South Phoenix. The One-Eleven project, coordinating with the Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, has brought artists from around the world to create works on buildings throughout downtown. Several full-building installations have established Phoenix as a legitimate destination for public art tourism. The Roosevelt Row Arts District maintains the highest density of significant murals per block of any area in Phoenix. Works along Roosevelt Street, 7th Street, and the cross-streets between them include work by local artists of national reputation alongside commissioned international artists. Grand Avenue's mural program reflects the commercial mixed-use character of that corridor: smaller works, more experimental approaches, and more frequent turnover as buildings change hands. For the most current information on new installations: the Mural Map produced by Roosevelt Row CDC is updated quarterly and is the most reliable guide to what's new and significant.