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 straight to my soul and it’s one of the things I have always been totally fascinated by. Maybe its the subversive nature, the unfiltered messages or its at times unsanctioned appearance, as well as the fact that it is often one of the few places that give 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 even 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, posters, stickers, 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 into worlds we have never previously considered and 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 used to being very active, involved in the arts scene and always going in and out of the city to have everything except for endless walks around my neighborhood eliminated from my life was devastating. Like everyone I was feeling anxious, suffocated and bored. I realized I needed to find a way to unplug and redirect some of my energy away from all the screens and the news cycle. I needed to find something to do that would encourage me to stay active, push me out of my pandemic funk, expose me to new things and be a new challenge, and so The Art Walk Project began.

In early July 2020 I headed back into the city determined to reclaim some of my favourite activities. My goals were simple. I wanted to reconnect with familiar places, get out and get some exercise, and see how much public art I could find. It took me an entire day to scour one small neighborhood but by the end of my excursion I felt refreshed and rejuvenated in a way I hadn’t since the New Year and I wondered if others might not benefit from this type of activity as well. 

The resulting Art Walks are a an exploration of community, creativity, diversity 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.

As a public art project about public art, from start to finish it is a long process to create an Art Walk. Designed to create a unique multi-sensory experience for each visitor each Art Walk features art from across a broad spectrum of vision, experience, style and time and is centered around a specific geographic location. Included in each walk is a short written post, a custom map, information about the artists (website, IG handle), a photo gallery and downloadable PDFs of both the map and the artwork listed to printout and take with you as your tour, if that is preferred. 

The Art Walk Project is owned and operated by Julia Swanson. Thank you for your support and thank you for stopping by. As always live creatively and travel safely!