StreetSpark's newest mural will be one of Hamilton's largest
May 14—People staying at the Warehouse Hotel at Spooky Nook along the Great Miami River in Hamilton will eventually have a more colorful vista by the end of the summer.
The 2024 StreetSpark mural design, which will be the program's second-largest since it started nearly a decade ago, will feature the city's name loud and proud. StreetSpark Program Manager Jennifer Acus-Smith announced this week the winning design, titled Tourism Series: Hamilton, is by the Cincinnati and Louisville-based mural company and art collective Often Seen Rarely Spoken.
The winning design was one of 63 applications from artists and teams within 35 miles of Hamilton. The StreetSpark committee chose six semifinalists to proceed with design work, which was presented to the group earlier this year.
Tourism Series: Hamilton will be on a concrete canvas that is 250 feet wide by 15 feet high, covering 3,750 square feet of wall. It will be the program's second-largest mural in the program's nine-year history. Taking Flight is the largest StreetSpark mural. The 4,500-square-foot mural was created in 2017 on the side of the George McDulin parking garage overlooking Rotary Park in downtown Hamilton.
"Their goal in this design is to connect the past to the present and create a culturally rich artistic backdrop for future Hamilton generations to be inspired by and feel connected to," Acus-Smith said of Often Seen Rarely Spoken's winning concept. "The mural will be a visual treat for walkers, joggers and bikers along the Recreational Trail, as well as visitors viewing from across the river."
The mural will be part of the art collective's ongoing tourism series, featuring large, contemporary typography reading 'Hamilton' as a center point. The name is surrounded on both ends by imagery common to Hamilton's history and roots, said Acus Smith.
The Miami Conservancy District, which manages the flood wall as part of the regional flood protection system, approved the design. The district completed repairs last year to prepare for the mural and ensure the wall stays strong.
"Embracing art as a catalyst for connection and resilience, the Miami Conservancy District proudly supports Hamilton's project that unites art and flood protection, safeguarding both our heritage and our future," said MCD spokesperson Sarah Hippensteel Hall. "The new mural in Hamilton will be a beautiful addition to the Great Miami Riverway corridor."
StreetSpark was formed in 2016 as a partnership between the Fitton Center, the city of Hamilton and the Hamilton Community Center, and since then, there have been 19 building murals and 17 utility box murals created around the city.
Painting on the new mural begins on June 5, but there will be a community cleanup along the riverbank at the site of the mural from 9 to 11 a.m. June 1. The mural is expected to be completed by June 20 with a dedication celebration planned for sometime in July.
