Street art and murals are abundant in Boulder, however, that wasn’t always the case. In 2015, Leah Brenner Clack noticed little to no public art in the city. Having worked in art galleries, she sought to bring more art and color to town.
“There was probably a small handful of murals around Boulder, a few around some of the bike paths, but really not very many at all,” she says. “That was what I was super passionate about. I didn’t understand why we didn’t have the murals and the street art that other cities have because we are a creative city and there are lots of artists here.”
Leah started approaching business and property owners that had blank exterior walls to see if a local artist could put up a mural. Little by little, more murals showed up across town. To keep on with this mission, Leah founded Street Wise Arts—a nonprofit focused on creating murals, community events and youth educational programs that enhance our surroundings and get people engaged.
Today, Boulder is booming with more than 100 murals across town. Street Wise even hosts a Boulder Mural Festival each fall.
Artists from all walks of life have left their mark on Boulder over the years, with pieces ranging from a Stranger Things-inspired mural by Timoghini at 28th Street and Arapahoe Avenue to a runners mural at Spruce Street and Broadway honoring local Olympian Frank Shorter.
But not all art takes up entire walls or is easy to find. Local artist SMiLE has created portraits and stenciled pieces on mailboxes, trash cans, electrical boxes and more.
To find this amazing artwork and more murals, consider an e-bike tour. JD’s Joyrides offers a two-hour, 20-mile tour showcasing dozens of murals across town. The city of Boulder has also put together a free public art walking tour with 11 stops. Street Wise also has a free, self-guided tour at streetwisearts.org/downtown-mural-tour-2022.
If you'd rather explore at your own pace, you can create a route. A map of murals can be found online at streetwisearts.org/maps.
What are you waiting for? Get out there and explore Boulder’s beautiful murals.