Hello and Welcome to the Art Walk Project

The Art Walk Project is a project that explores community and creativity through public art.

I have always loved Street art. Something about it speaks to me on every level and it is one of the things I have always been totally fascinated by. Perhaps it is its subversive nature, the unfiltered messages and its at times unsanctioned appearance, as well as the fact that it is often one of the few places that gives a voice to the unheard and can add critical layers and depth to our ongoing social, political, economic and cultural discussions which makes it so attractive as a creative outlet. Maybe more simply, as an artist myself, i’m just in awe of the incredible skill of some of the artists who take the time to design and share their murals, sculptures, installations etc… in such a public form. Whatever you may think about public art be it street art, graffiti, murals, sculptures, installations etc… it is unique in its ability to reach a wider audience with its message. This type of art in particular can provide a window and help inform us about who we are, who we were and what we stand for, and who we hope to be. In my humble opinion the creation of this type of art is a uniquely powerful and at times defiant act that speaks to each of us deep down in our core. 

Started in 2020 the The Art Walk Project was in many ways created as my reaction to the long period of lockdown we experienced early in the pandemic. As someone who, prior to Covid, was going in and out of the city for work and fun and who had been very invested in the arts scene, both as an artist and as a blogger covering it for a culture and innovation blog I had published for several years prior to the pandemic, having everything except for endless walks around my neighborhood taken off the table was devastating and like everyone I was feeling anxious, suffocated and bored. I also needed to find a way to unplug and redirect some of my energy away from all the screens and news cycle that had been keeping me occupied but had also started to weigh heavily on mind. I decided I needed a new challenge. I needed to find something to do that would push me forward and out of a pandemic funk, both literally and metaphorically. I have always been one to enjoy taking a walk. Even in inclement weather you can find me puttering around on foot. So, around early July 2020 (and with a face mask on) I headed into the city determined to reclaim some of my favourite activities. My goals were simple. I wanted to reconnect with familiar places, see what had changed and see how much public art I could actually find. It took me an entire day to scour one small neighborhood but by the end of my excursion I felt refreshed and rejuvenated and I wondered if others might not benefit from this type of activity as well. 

The resulting Art Walks are an exploration of community, creativity, and activism that were designed to create a unique experience for each visitor by curating a self guided Art Walk which features a broad spectrum of public art in different neighborhoods and public spaces. These tours were created to encourage people to temporarily disconnect from the news cycle, social media etc.. .and encourage them to reconnect with creativity and the community by providing an engaging all ages activity that can be done in an afternoon. 

From start to finish it is a long process to create an Art Walk, and they are in a constant state of evolution. Designed to create a unique engaging experience for each visitor each Art Walk that features art from across a broad spectrum of vision, experience, style and time and centered around a specific geographic location Included in each walk is a short written post, a custom map, information about the artists (where available), a photo gallery to help you identify each work and downloadable PDFs of both the map and the artwork listed to printout and take with you as your tour, if that is preferred. 

As always travel safely. Thank you for your support and thank you for stopping by!