Downtown Arlington Mural Project Unites First Mural Hosts & Artists

A cultural arts icon, a popular long-standing business, and a prospering start-up will host the first three murals of the recently launched Downtown Arlington Mural Project.

• An iconic Downtown destination, Theatre Arlington is the second largest and second oldest theater in Tarrant County. The company's commitment to quality live performance, community engagement and education played an important part in helping Downtown earn the designation of Arlington Cultural District. Theatre Arlington is located at 305 W. Main St.
• Dyno-Rock Indoor Climbing Center has been providing family fun and fitness in Downtown Arlington for nearly twenty years. With over 16,000 square feet of climbing surface, Dyno-Rock is built for every level of ability. Dyno-Rock is located at 608 East Front St.
• CenterSpace is part of Downtown Arlington’s booming co-working scene. Offering a strong and vibrant community, CenterSpace launched in 2016 and, thanks to its amenities and member-centric programming, quickly outgrew its first location behind Potager’s Other Stuff. CenterSpace is now located at 609 E. Main St.

Sharing the Vision

While seemingly very different, these Downtown entities share more in common than a big, blank exterior wall. Aldo Fritz, President and CEO of Downtown Arlington Management Corporation, explains.

“The management teams at all of these locations share our vision for the Downtown Arlington Mural Project,” said Fritz. “As a center of culture, education and entrepreneurship, Downtown is ready to claim its unique identity not only in the City but in DFW. We want public art to be a cornerstone of that placemaking.”

Mural Mastery

Fostering a nurturing environment for established and emerging artists is also an important objective of the Downtown Arlington Mural Project, launched earlier this year.

“As a part of our responsibility as the Arlington Cultural District,” said Fritz, “it’s important for Downtown to be a canvas for the incredible talent found throughout our state."

Mural artists Trey Wilder, Justin Simmons and Dylan Kennedy have been selected by the Mural Review Committee, a group of artists and Downtown stakeholders, to bring the outdoor spaces to life.

[caption id="attachment_23435" align="img-wrapleft" width="316"] Artist Trey Wilder creates mural magic at CenterSpace.[/caption]

Wilder has nearly finished his work at CenterSpace. You can meet him at an on-site reception on July 18 starting at 7:00 p.m. Find out more via the Facebook event.

Soon, Simmons will transform a wall at Theatre Arlington and Kennedy’s vision will come to life at Dyno-Rock.

All three murals will be completed by mid-September in time for a VIP dedication event and Brewing Arts, a brand-new, free art festival featuring each of the artists and their work. The VIP dedication event is supported in part by a $25,000 Cultural Tourism grant from the Arlington Cultural Tourism Council. Through its investment, ACTC seeks to enhance and diversify cultural tourism development, expansion and marketing throughout the City of Arlington.

With the support of ACTC and other sponsors and partners, Fritz anticipates even more Downtown mural hosts and artists will join forces.

“There is neither a limit to the artistic talent in our state nor to the enthusiasm of Downtown’s current and potential partners,” said Fritz. “We’ll continue to seek opportunities to bring them all together.”

Igniting a Movement

The Downtown Arlington Mural Project is a part of a broader public art initiative, the Downtown Arlington Urban Art Initiative.

“Murals are just one way to visually connect the dots throughout our district,” said Fritz. “Other forms of public art, beautification activities, pop-up programming, and other placemaking are just as important.

"The Downtown Arlington Urban Art Initiative bundles all of these initiatives into a coordinated approach, one that will shine the light on Downtown for all that it is: a hub for creative activity; a college town within our city; a place to start and grow a business; an awesome place to live, eat, shop and work; and a compelling destination to visit again and again.”

Get Involved

Sponsorship, partnership and volunteer opportunities are available through the Mural Project and the broader Urban Art Initiative. To learn more, contact Aldo Fritz.

About Downtown Arlington

Designated by the State of Texas as the Arlington Cultural District, Downtown Arlington blends a unique mix of activities, sights, tastes and sounds that attract visitors and locals alike. Within its less than a two-mile radius, Downtown is home to UT Arlington, a top tier public research university, plus prolific fine and performing artists and arts institutions, live entertainment, exciting NCAA and professional athletics, one-of-a-kind dining and retail, and a supportive business climate.