Sarah Sansom
- May 28, 2021
- 7 min read

SOLD Guide to SUMMER EVENTS

Ready to breathe in fresh spray paint? We got you! After a quiet year of no major festivals, we're excited to announce a roster of events coming up on our area. Get your cameras out, because it's all happening starting right now.We confess we don't know all the details yet, but don't worry, SOLD has you covered! We'll share breaking news as it comes in.

UPTOWN GRANDSCALE MURAL PROJECT

What: The Grandscale Mural Project in Harlem features artwork from uptown artists that support and uplift the community, and creates a vibrant thriving and vibrant East 125th Street corridor.

Two years after a community initiative transformed East Harlem's green construction fences into vibrant works of art, the project is returning — with an even larger canvas. The project, launched in 2019, invited 50 artists to come together over three weekends and create murals across 1,500 feet of drab, green plywood fences that surrounded the Metro-North station at East 125th Street and Park Avenue.

UK artist DREPH with his 2019 mural

2019 Artists in action

This year, organizers are bringing the project back, inviting up to 100 artists to paint new creations atop the old. A new, tantalizingly large space will also be painted: the former Pathmark supermarket site that spans most of the block on 125th between Third and Lexington Avenues. Confirmed artists include:

Jaurelionyc • Ladykfever • Nblucre • Toofly • Giannina Gutierrez • Dgaleart • Dister • Bigeyesworld • Murj_Art • Artbychristyayala • Robayala_• Lanceljart • Ericapurnell • Ralph Serrano • Evanbishopart • Walkerkatori • Dorisrodg Lostbreedculture • Eloburnz • Bronx.Art.House • Vanezza_Cruz • Lovenotes • Yazmeennyc • Blazay • Tommytheanimator Artmandan • Soulsnyc • Carlisimaultra • Zanestyles • KRONS • Artbyspnyc • JasonNaylor • Brittanymaldonadoart •Sunroomsala • Sfa_Uno • MarthaLicia • Scratch • Sienide • Sjk_171 • Ladyjday • El_Cekis • Oneradlatina

Allisonpaigeray • Doodlehedz • Jacquiwar • Noble_Dre_Ali • Mcmaniphes • Pinkyweber • Fem.Archy Markmusters1 Houseofmarkwest • Merejo.Art • Andre_Trenier • Loveclownclub • Gwiz • Adambomb • Geobany • Nancy_Mendez

Supergoode • TheBronxer • Carmencommunityartist • SocialIcon

The project will follow a different installation format than previous years; Artists will paint individually or in small groups, with all artwork completed by June 30.

The 2021 installation will also feature a 20-panel community mural designed by teaching artist Gera Lozano, which neighbors can sign up to help create, paint-by-numbers-style, on June 5.

When: Now through June 30

Where: East 125th St between Fifth and Third Avenues, East Harlem NYC.

Details: uptowngrandcentral.org

JERSEY CITY MURAL FESTIVAL

OBEY for Mana Public Arts

What: Established to provide a platform for local and international street artists, the Jersey City Mural Festival strengthens and supports community initiatives, leading to more vibrant neighborhoods and cities. The 2021 festival will take place from June 5-6, with the goal of supporting small businesses across Hudson County that have been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Jersey City Mural Festival is presented by Mana Public Arts and the Jersey City Mural Arts Program (JCMAP) in partnership with Mayor Steven M. Fulop, the Jersey City Municipal Council, and the Office of Cultural Affairs. In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and in strict adherence with the reopening guidelines set by the State of New Jersey, all aspects of the 2021 Jersey City Mural Festival will be executed with strict COVID-19 protocols and social distancing. In addition the many of the events and works will be made available online to allow for virtual participation.

The festival will take place across three main locations, incorporating more than 50 walls, and 300,000 sf of wall space.

Artists:

Ron English • Phillip Adams • Crash (John Matos) • Dasic Fernandez • Queen Andrea • Maya Hayuk • Beau Stanton Distort • Nada Khozestani • Cecilia Lueza • Aaron WOES Martin • Raul Santos • Jose Mertz • Dragon76 • L'amour Supreme Boy Kong • Max Sansing • Kirza Lopez Ekundayo • Good and Shiddy • Rorshach • EKO • WK • Jahru • Luther Wright • Kelly Towles • Jason Naylor • Brandan “BMike” Odums • Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya • ELLE • Joe Waks

4SKN • MERES • HOACS • TASTE • PAWS • Trace • Tiper • Veer • MH • Medow • Goomba • Gusto • Volkes • Easy • Imse Soaka • MENAS • Mek • Emilio Florentine Will Power • Ree Vilomar • RD Doaz • Clarence Rich • Mustart • YES • PAWN SETRI • Bujwa • Peat eyez

The festival will include a wide variety of covid-19 safe events and entertainment, including:

VIP Artist/industry events • Beer gardens • Food trucks • DJs and live entertainment • Merchandise pop ups • Family events

Insider tip: Painting on major walls has already started, including the old ice cream factory at 581 Monmouth St.

When: June 5-6

Saturday, June 5 from 12-8 PM

Sunday, June 6 from 12-7 PM

Where: JOURNAL SQUARE & HAMILTON PARK, Jersey City, New Jersey

Hamilton Park map:

Journal Square map:

Details: jerseycitymuralfestival.com

WELLING COURT MURAL PROJECT

Joe Iurato working at Welling Court Mural Project, 2019

What: This 11+ year community mural project has brought together founders of Graffiti and Street Art with early career, mid-career, and burgeoning young artists to help foster beauty of all life, peace, and support for all people of any race, belief, and/or sexual identity around the globe. Legendary Artists Include: Lady Pink, Smith, Swoon, Crash, Daze, Queen Andrea, Joe Iurato, John Fekner & Don Leicht: The Original Space Invaders, Greg Lamarche, and many more.

2019 Artists TurtleCaps, Ria Burns-Wilder, Mr. Never Satisfied, Peat Eyez, Danielle Mastrion, Chrissoria, Jeromy Velasco, Dgaleart & IMAGINE.

For 2021, many of the artists will be the same as previous years. Due to COVID-19 considerations, there will be no block party, and painting will be spread out over several weeks. Artists we know about so far include:

TooFly • Dirty Bandits • Sinned • Fumero • Joe Iurato • John CRASH Matos

Chrissoria • MarcManiac • Ian Cinco • Pinkt WEber

Stay tuned for many more!

When: June 12 (before and after)

Where: 11-90 Welling Ct, Astoria, Queens, NY 11102.

You can get here by East River Ferry, Bus, train, bike or walking.

Details: wellingcourtmuralprojectnyc.com

BUSHWICK COLLECTIVE 10TH ANNIVERSARY

Sipros painting in 2018

What: Brooklyn's mammoth block part, which attracts crowds of 5,000+, has been up up in the air, but we can now confirm it will happen in August. Due to shifting Covid regulations for large events, we'll have to stay tuned to see this take shape. With vendors, international and local artists. For now, read more at bedfordandbowery.com and stay tuned to SOLD for more!

Artists including Eric Inkala, Chrissoria, BKFoxx and Sipros at the collective, 2018.

When: August 2021

Where: Troutman Street at St Nicholas Avenue, Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY 11237

Subway to Jefferson St L Station

Details: @thebushwickcollective

POW! WOW! WORCESTER, MA

What: Since its inception in 2016, POW! WOW! Worcester has curated over 160 pieces of public art, consisting of 106 murals and several seasonal and permanent installations, and now maintains the largest collection of murals in New England. This includes 52 murals at 12 different schools in our community.

POW! WOW! Worcester is a creative movement organized by passionate volunteers of the local nonprofit, business, creative and collegiate community. Our mission: Empower our community through art. Since 2016, murals curated by POW! WOW! Worcester have enhanced the walkability and connectivity between neighborhoods, improved local school attendance, contributed to a greater quality of life and a genuine sense of community through public art. POW! WOW! Worcester is an entirely grassroots and locally supported effort, depending on sponsorships, donations, and volunteers, and the incorporation and creative output of neighborhood artists, musicians, businesses, and more.

The fifth annual art experience will take place from August 13 - August 22 with new large scale murals, art installations, immersive experiences, tours, events and more! Our goal is to activate, beautify, and give back to the community we love. This year we intend to build upon our past successes and give back to the community in a bold and exciting new way!

Walls from 2017-2018: Dragon 76, Wrdsmth, Apexes, Dasic Fernandez, Caratoes, Ramiro & Ratchi, Tom Bob, Lexi Bella, Five8 & Earth Crusher. Photographs Sarah Sansom.

When: August 13 - August 22

Where: Main South neighborhood, Worcester, Massachusetts

Details: powwowworcester.com

NYC MURAL FESTIVAL

What: The first truly all-New York event, the NYC Mural Festival is curated by Thrive Collective x Wallworks NY featuring live mural painting, street performers, creative workshops, food and community vendors: 30 murals will be painted in 10 Days across all 5 Boroughs of New York. We're excited for this one!

Celebrating NYC mural culture and the power of art to heal, the roster of artists will reflect different cultural backgrounds and artistic styles. In response to the 2020-2021 Thrive Collective initiatives, murals will celebrate gender and socio-economic equity. Thrive Collective pledges to use green and eco-friendly materials to respect our planet, all murals will be celebrating themes of gender and socio-economic equity.

About the organizers:

Thrive Collective creates hope and opportunity through arts, sports, and mentoring in and around public schools. Their goal is to eradicate artless education for all NYC students and schools. Thrive have facilitated 165+ murals working with artists including Peach Tao, Chris DAZE Ellis, John CRASH Matos and Tats Cru. WALLWORKS NEW YORK is a contemporary art gallery in the South Bronx, dedicated to bringing art back uptown. The passion project of legendary Graffiti pioneer CRASH and entrepreneur Robert Kantor, WALLWORKS seeks to remind people of the rich culture of the Bronx.

Bianca Romero's #spreadlovenyc mural underway for Thrive Collective.

Artists, vendors and business owners with walls can apply at muralfestival.nyc or @nycmuralfestival

Stay tuned for more on this one!

When: September 2021

Where: All 5 boroughs, NYC

Details: muralfestival.nyc

POW! WOW! DC

What: POW! WOW! DC is a local chapter of the global art movement, POW! WOW!, a festival that celebrates culture, music, and art to further engage with the local community. Local and international artists convene to transform the streets into a public gallery. Since 2016, artists from the Washington, D.C. region and around the globe — a different mix each year, led by D.C.'s very own Kelly Towles — come to NoMa for 10-days to create larger-than-life murals that enliven buildings and streetscapes.

BirdCap at his 2018 DC wall

Artists painting along rail tracks, 2018

Pow! Wow! DC returns this year, celebrating their 6th anniversary in partnership with the NoMa Business Improvement District. The stellar artist line-up includes a mix of returning veterans, and new artists emerging on to the POW! WOW! Scene. They represent Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Virginia, and Japan. Come visit us while we paint in the NoMa neighborhood.

Artists can apply here. Stay tuned for more as we get closer.