New Grand Rapids ArtPrize Mural Transforms Tagged Wall

Yes, undoubtedly there is A LOT of art to check out in Grand Rapids right now as we head into the second week of ArtPrize. Downtown is packed with visitors, pop-up installations, and temporary exhibits. But as anyone who lives here knows, eventually the festival wraps up, those temporary pieces get packed away, and the exhibits clear out.

But not everything is temporary...

Grand Rapids' Ongoing Commitment to Local Murals

That is where our city's awesome mural culture comes in! Grand Rapids is exceptionally rich in public art—from official ArtPrize entries that stuck around, to neighborhood beautification projects, local business commissions, and independent street art sprinkled through our alleys. Long after the festival crowds thin out, these walls remain as permanent fixtures in our daily lives, keeping that creative energy alive year-round.

I honestly love all the murals around town, and I feel like I'm discovering new ones all the time. Here are some of my favorite murals right by our studios downtown Grand Rapids!

Meet "Sewing Seeds of Love" by Shannon Mack

The newest addition to GR's growing lineup sits right along the water. Local artist Shannon Mack tapped into funding from a Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. Activate Grant to breathe fresh life into an old, tagged retaining wall near Bridgewater Place.

UP NEXT: Jeff Daniels Returns to Grand Rapid This December

Her piece is called Sewing Seeds of Love. (Vote ID 52649 if you are casting your votes on the ArtPrize app!)

Here's how Mack describes her ArtPrize entry:

'Sewing Seeds of Love' is both a figurative and literal expression of collective care. Fragmented elements of diverse identities come together to reflect the many lives, stories, and experiences held within a community. Interwoven motifs of listening, seeing, joy, grief, embrace, contemplation, tenderness, and vulnerability speak to the shared emotional landscape we all navigate.

Revitalizing Downtown One Wall at a Time

DGRI says,

"This is exactly the kind of transformation the Activate Grant was created to support: bringing new energy to Downtown spaces."

👇BELOW: THIS IS WHAT GRAND RAPIDS LOOKED LIKE 100 YEARS AGO👇

Next time you are wandering near the river downtown, during ArtPrize or after, take a look for yourself! You can find the new mural right next to Bridgewater Place, clearly visible from Michigan Street and the Riverwalk across the Grand River.