Arts & Theater

Wide Open Walls, the nation’s largest mural festival, announces 2019 lineup

By Kyung Mi Lee

The nation’s largest mural festival is returning to Sacramento in its third year, bringing together artists from around the world to celebrate a growing legacy of public art and urban murals.

Wide Open Walls will run Aug. 8 to 18 and feature 44 artists and 30 new murals in the greater Sacramento region. This year’s lineup includes internationally renowned and returning local artists.

“We’re thrilled to once again help transform the city as we showcase the talents of a diverse group of local and international artists,” David Sobon, the founder of Wide Open Walls, said in a news release. “We are expanding our theme of art for all.”

City officials and community leaders will kick off the festival with remarks at the California Auto Museum at 10 a.m. Aug. 8. A new “California” mural painted by 11 local artists, similar to the giant “Sacramento” mural created last year at Sacramento State University, will be the backdrop at the event.

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#WideOpenWalls: Wide Open Walls! Our 11-day mural festival returns to Sacramento for it’s third year ‪August 8-18‬ with a total of 44 participating artists & 30 new murals. _ Welcome our Wide Open Walls 2019 Artist Lineup: Agana Aik Brown Alberto Montes Alexis Diaz Ali Futrell  Apexer Axel Void Beth Emmerich Bruce Gossett  Carl Avery  Cecelia Perez Charmaine Olivia  David Puck  Eliseo Silva  Emilio Cerezo Hoxxoh Ivan Floro Jeremy Stanger Jessie and Katey  Jillian Evelyn John Horton  Jose Di Gregorio  Josh Tremain Kiri Leigh Jones Kristin Farr Lauren YS Lin Fei Fei Lord Pawn ‪Mars 1 ‬ Martha Cooper Melinda Arendt Melissa Arendt Milton 510 Molly Devlin  Neverboard  Nico  Raphael Delgado  RISK Robert Bowen  Shane Grammer  Shonna McDaniels Stephanie Taylor Ursula X Young Waylon Horner _ @fewandfarwomen @aikbrown @alberto_montes @Alexis_Diaz @alifutrell @apexer @Axelvoid @fewandfarwomen @brucegossett @carlaverystudios @asspie @charmaineolivia @davidpuckartist @eliseoartsilva @emiliocerezo @hoxxoh @van_vuu @stangerprojects @jessieandkatey @jillian_evelyn @hightech_lowlife @josedigregorioart @joshuatremainart @kirileigh7 @kristinfarr @Squid.licker @linfeifeiart @pawnpaint @mars_1_ @lindy_arendt @melissaarendtart @milton510 @devlinmolly @neverboard @fewandfarwomen @artbyraphael @riskrock @bowenstuff @shonna_mcdaniels @stephanietaylorart @waylonhorner @marthacoopergram _ #WideOpenWalls #ThePeopleOfSacramento #Sacramento #916 #wideopenwalls916 #artists #murals #VisitSacramento

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Members of the community will have a chance to meet this year’s artists at evening happy hours and attend parties, film screenings and gallery exhibitions.

Live music and interactive art installations will round off the festival Aug. 17 with a street concert on the Capitol Mall.

Several big names at the festival include Alexis Diaz, a Puerto Rico-born artist whose dreamlike depictions of metamorphic animals are featured in cities from Las Vegas to Toulouse; and Lauren YS, a Los Angeles-based artist whose most recent work appeared at Heron Arts in San Francisco. Axel Void, a multimedia artist based in Miami, will also be featured.

Thirteen artists are returning to the festival as Wide Open Walls veterans, while some are making their festival debut. Ten local artists have participated every year since the festival’s founding in 2016.

A complete roster of Wide Open Walls 2019 artists and information about upcoming events can be found at https://www.wideopenwalls.com/lineup/

This story was originally published July 18, 2019 at 8:00 AM.

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