Buildings Come to Life at Beaumont’s Second Annual Mural Festival
W3R3ON3, also known as Gelson D. Lemus, a Guatemalan-born resident of Houston, standing in front of his work called "Scales of Justice."
Image: Courtesy Beaumont CVB
If you're looking for a change of pace from the Houston Rodeo festivities, leave your boots at home and grab your best walking shoes, and head over to downtown Beaumont for the second annual Beaumont Mural Festival. For four days, a collection of some of the country’s most talented artists will paint the town red (and a whole rainbow of other colors as well).
This year the festival—the brainchild of business owner, Min Dai, and artist J Muzacz—includes 16 featured muralists, such as prominent names in the street art scene like Malcolm Byers (AMA), Dragon76 (LA), and Emily Ding (Austin), as well as local and returning artists, all contributing their creative skills to transform and revitalize the city.
Image: Tony Moreno
Themes for the murals of this year’s event include a focus on Beaumont’s people, wildlife, and culture. The goal, according to Visit Beaumont, is to attract more tourism to the town and offer more art tours.
"Murals and art are more than just an Instagram or photography fad,” Christina Lokey, Marketing Director of the Beaumont Convention and Visitors Bureau said. “They're a form of visual storytelling and an investment in the community.”
The muralists have already begun prepping their walls, and once the weekend hits, Beaumont will be one big street fair with activities for all ages, including food and drink vendors, live music, and a lot of painting. A pop-up art installation on-site will feature an art car (donated by St. Arnold’s Brewery) that event goers are invited to paint.
Artist Fabian Rey chats to event goers about his work.
Image: Ken Guidry
Visitors will get the opportunity to watch the artists at work and learn about their creative process. There will also be guided tours of the murals throughout the festival and a map of the final work so everyone can see all of the incredible artwork on display.
The festival is a collaboration between the City of Beaumont, the Downtown Beaumont Cultural Arts District, artists, sponsors, and facilitators like Texas-based company, Mural Supply Co., which will provide materials and support to the artists.
“No one is doing festivals like this right now, and we're thrilled to be a part of the Beaumont Mural Festival for the second year in a row,” Bailey Pownall, one of the co-founders of Mural Supply Co. said. “Supporting public art is one of our core values, and we're excited to see so many talented artists come together to create something beautiful for the city.”
Mural Supply Co. prepping walls for the 2023 Mural Fest.
Image: Courtesy Mural Supply Co.
Aside from providing paint, the Mural Supply Co. team is doing everything from pressure washing, priming, base layering, and general mural assistance and support.
“We’re checking in with each muralist to see what they need,” Pownall said. “Anything from Home Depot trips to get more water buckets and supplies to cleaning brushes and grabbing coffee, so that the artists can do what they do best.”
The Beaumont Mural Festival will take place from March 2-5, 2023, in downtown Beaumont with their headquarters placed at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas. The festival is free and open to the public. For more information, including a schedule of events and a list of participating artists, visit their website.
