Murals bring new life and color to KC's riverfront
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Massive new works of art are blooming along the Missouri River levee, part of Port KC's push to transform a once-tagged concrete wall into a lively public art trail.
Why it matters: Saturday's Mo River Murals Festival marks a creative comeback for the riverfront.
- Port KC launched the program in 2022 to "turn vandalism into vibrancy," said chief of staff Jolene Mead. Each mural is sealed with a UV coating for easy cleanup.
- Since the start, graffiti along the levee has dropped about 90%, according to Port KC.
If you go: The art now starts at the beginning of the Riverfront Heritage Trail. Expect a full day of live painting as artists add their final touches to the new murals along the riverfront trail.
- The festival takes place Saturday at Berkley Riverfront, near the Town of Kansas Bridge, 10am to 4pm.
- Expect live painting, DJs, food trucks, art vendors and a marching band.
What they're saying: From Ohio, Miss Birdy leans into fantasy storytelling with her art. Her mural features a "bratty forest nymph" with cherry blossoms. "Once I create a piece, it lives a life of its own," she said. "It never gets old knowing people walk by it every day."
- JEKS, an artist known for his hyperreal portraits in North Carolina, said his work is about self-acceptance, with the mural saying "Love is love," with flowers wrapped around the wording.
- "I want it to remind people to love who they love," he said. "It's not going to make everyone happy, but that's part of the process."
Between the lines: The artists see their work as a way to reclaim and reframe public space.
- "Public art changes the space and the vibe that you live in," JT Daniels, a KC native whose work lines the streetcar route and Plaza, told Axios. He said he paints to change how neighborhoods feel.
- "I grew up in the inner city. We want beautiful art, too."
What's next: Port KC hopes to extend the murals another 1.3 miles west next year, a move Mead says they hope could turn the project into a nationally recognized art festival.