Kingston street art wall pilot project showing positive early results

It’s a pilot project in the City of Kingston that allows artists to put their mark on a unique canvas.

Those that want a chance to paint on the Rideaucrest retaining wall adjacent to Douglas Fluhrer Park will have one, and it’s all legal. Creating street art and murals is the bottom line.

Mary Farrar is the president of Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour. She says so far, so good.

“The city has agreed to have a 10-month pilot project on the wall for artists to come anytime during daylight to paint whatever they like as long as it doesn’t contravene normal standards of decency,” Farrar said.

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Eleven of the approximately 33 panels have been re-painted since the project was instituted less then a month ago. And that, according to the city’s Arts and Sector Development Manager Danika Lochhead, is incredible — in fact, she’s impressed with how many new murals have come forward and how artists are experimenting using the space.

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Lochhead says the artists understand their art work will likely be painted over at some point in time, so it’s about getting in, doing the work, documenting it, and moving on.

The pilot project wraps up in April of 2020. Kingston city council will than decide if it will become a permanently legal street art wall.