Detroit Evening Report: Detroit selects 25 artists to create new murals across the city

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Image of mural of Josephine Harreld-Love and Dell Pryor

Mural of Dell Pryor (left) and Josephine Harreld-Love in the Cass Corridor painted by Detroit-based artist Ijania Cortez.

The 2023 City Walls campaign is adding 23 locations across Detroit. 25 artists were chosen to paint murals and spruce up viaducts and old graffiti.


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There was an extensive search through a series of open calls to transform and create beauty in the chosen locations within the city.

Mayor Mike Duggan said tapping into the artistic community helps create the environment they want reflected back to them.

“There are a lot of talented artists in Detroit and those artists are mobile — they can go anywhere. We wanted to create an environment in this city that nurtures that kind of talent,” says Duggan.

This year marks the seventh edition of the City Walls program and will be part of Duggan’s Blight to Beauty campaign. Detroit will issue a second wave of open calls for the 2023 season in May.

The program’s 100th mural entitled, “The Spirit” by Detroit artist Waleed Johnson, represents a Black woman as the Spirit of Detroit. The mural is located at Van Dyke and Mack Avenue.

Other headlines for April 13, 2023:

  • Highland Park owes $20 million to Great Lakes Water Authority
  • MDOT hosting open forum on future of I-375
  • Dearborn receiving FEMA funds for storm repairs

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Author

  • Tia Graham is a reporter and Weekend Edition Host for 101.9 WDET. She graduated from Michigan State University where she had the unique privilege of covering former President Barack Obama and his trip to Lansing in 2014.