Large-Scale Public Art Will Celebrate Rich Histories, Diversity & Vibrant Cultures in Holyoke, Fall River, Lowell & Lynn
LYNN, MA—Beyond Walls, one of the leading proponents of civic engagement and education through public art, today announced the launch of Street Art Tour 2022 with “stops” in four of the Commonwealth’s gateway communities. This venture, which includes the creation of 20 large-scale murals over a four-month period, will kick-off in Holyoke, followed by additional installations in Fall River, Lowell, and Lynn where Beyond Walls is based. To reinforce the initiative’s overarching goals and galvanize those who live, work, and visit each city, Beyond Walls has established new and expanded existing partnerships with nonprofit and educational organizations, municipal officials, businesses, the cultural communities unique to each location, and a corps of more than two dozen homegrown, regional, national, and international street artists.
A new curriculum, Classrooms to the Streets, will bring these cultural assets into schools and youth programs through a digital library featuring lesson plans that explore each mural and the artists who created them.
“Since 2017, Beyond Walls has helped transform more than physical landscapes; we have ignited social transformations,” said Al Wilson, Beyond Walls Founder & CEO. “Under the Beyond Walls umbrella, painted images and mixed-media pieces created by some of the world’s most acclaimed muralists reflect the cultural roots of the cities we engage with. This summer, we will build on earlier initiatives by underscoring the Latinx, Portuguese, and Cambodian influences within our region. Our goal is to spark meaningful conversations, shift perspectives, and draw attention to these remarkable, resilient cities.”
The Beyond Walls Street Art Tour 2022, which begins in June in Holyoke and concludes in September in Lynn, is intended to provide greater access to the arts, unite local organizations, educators, businesses, and city leadership around a common mission, and boost the creative arts economy.
- Holyoke, MA-June 14-28: Working in partnership with Nueva Esperanza, Inc. on El Corazon de Holyoke/the Heart of Holyoke, seven Beyond Walls murals will focus on the city’s vibrant Puerto Rican community. Holyoke, home to the largest population of Puerto Ricans outside the main island, will be designated a Puerto Rican Cultural District by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the second city in the US to receive this honor.
- Fall River, MA-July 17-31: Beyond Walls has joined forces with the Fall River Arts and Culture Council, Viva Fall River, and Fall River Public Schools to produce three world-class murals celebrating this dynamic community, its history, and the significant contributions of the city’s Portuguese American population.
- Lowell, MA-August 14-28: Beyond Walls and ArtUp Lowell will build on their 2021 partnership which included works by internationally renowned Latinx muralists Angurria and David Zayas. New murals will honor the city’s cultural diversity with six installations located at the UMass Lowell and Middlesex Community College campuses, the Coalition for a Better Acre and Eliot Church. The Lowell project will include tours and hands-on activities, educational programming, and the participation of Lowell-based artists.
- Lynn, MA-September 7-20: Beyond Walls, Angurria, and a cohort of six regional and international street artists will highlight the city’s connections with the Dominican culture through the installation of four murals.
“Beyond Walls has uniquely placed its mark on Lynn’s downtown with 65 installations, supported local businesses and health care providers during the pandemic, engaged students, and forged close collaborations around a shared purpose,” said Mayor Jared Nicholson. “Beyond Walls continues to educate, enrich, engage, and enlighten by introducing powerful works of art that resonate with residents and visitors.”
