PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Public art is taking center stage in Portsmouth for the second annual Wall Street Mural Festival.
Bricks along the Wall Street alley came to life all week as artists picked up spray paint and paint brushes as they prepared for the weekend event.
"This design is supposed to look like it's embroidered onto the brick," Orlando, Fla. artist Naomi Haverland said as she pointed to her work. "I just thought it would be a cool juxtaposition with the really rough brick wall to have something more delicate on top of it."
"I've had a few ideas for this festival," said Matthew Mederer, an artist from Chicago, Ill. who's known as "Cool Disco Rich". "It's going to be a gothic-style architecture window and there's going to be a surreal scene inside of it."
If you look closer at the artwork, you'll find connection and identity.
"To be in the town I was born in and make art and connect with all the young people—especially these young folks at Norcom High School—seeing the murals and getting excited, that's what it's all about. Making people feel pride in the place they live," said local artist Charles Rasputin, who also goes by "OrangeBoxCutter."
This year's murals are going up next to murals from last year's inaugural festival, put on by Support Portsmouth Public Art.
"We were so overwhelmed last year because it was more than what we were expecting. We were expecting maybe 400 people to show up; we had over 1,800 people show up. It was a huge success," said Matthew Diggs, Wall Street Mural Festival organizer.
And it was after that first festival that organizers saw some lasting effects.
"It's a big tourist attraction. People have never walked down this street, there's nothing to see down here. Now that we have these murals people are frequenting the street. And I would say the bigger impact is this is now [in] the city's new Innovation District, now called 'the LINC,'" said Matthew Diggs, Wall Street Mural Festival organizer. "We're going to see some economic growth in this area and we believe the mural festival is a huge catalyst."
Recent research, including a 2024 American Journal of Arts, Social and Humanities study, shows public art can attract tourism, boost local economies, and increase the perception of public safety. Researchers suggest it strengthens local identity and strengthens a sense of ownership over a place while it reduces feelings of isolation.
The city, festival organizers, and artists say public art is just one way they're trying to pour love into some of the city's formerly overlooked areas, like the LINC.
"We just wanted to 'yes and' what is already happening here; the economic development that art can create and the heart and soul that these folks are putting into the place and space and this city. Portsmouth is going to come up and it has its best years ahead of it," said Rasputin.
Ten artists are painting murals in the Wall Street Mural Festival this year.
The event is free and will include other family-friendly activities, like a breakdance competition, fashion show, doodlefest, paint by numbers and a skateboard competition.
It runs Saturday, May 10 from noon to 7 p.m. at 400 Hatton St. in Portsmouth.
