SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Recommend the Art Oasis Mural Festival to install murals on highly visible buildings in the North Greenwood CRA, in partnership with participating business, property owners, and city partnerships.
Body
SUMMARY:
The Art Oasis Mural Festival will commission and install visually impactful murals on selected buildings within the North Greenwood CRA. This initiative will enhance the visual character of key corridors, highlight neighborhood identity, and support local businesses that have expressed interest in hosting murals. By investing in public art, the project aims to attract visitors, increase foot traffic, and bring renewed attention to storefronts and businesses that may otherwise be overlooked.
Need and Benefits:
Clearwater has a growing need for additional public art, particularly in areas that lack color, vibrancy, and distinctive identity. This project addresses that need while providing business owners with opportunities to host cultural installations that reinforce pride in place. Community input and collaboration will ensure designs reflect North Greenwood’s history and heritage, deepening cultural connection.
The project directly supports multiple adopted planning documents:
- Clearwater 2045 – Quality Places, Strategy 7.1.1: Calls for public art that strengthens civic engagement and neighborhood identity.
- City Strategic Plan, Objective 3.1: Support neighborhood identity through services and programs that empower community pride.
- North Greenwood CRA Development Plan, Goal 5 (p. 94): Sustain quality of life through cultural engagement, historic preservation, and activation of public spaces.
- City Cultural Arts Plan, Goal 1: Stimulate local cultural development through public art; Strategy 1 (strengthen neighborhood identity through public art) and Strategy 7 (diversify arts experiences).
The feasibility of this project is strengthened by demonstrated business interest, existing CRA partnerships, and the precedent of a prior successful mural festival.
Stakeholders:
- North Greenwood business and property owners hosting murals
- Residents of the North Greenwood neighborhood
- The wider Clearwater community, including residents and visitors who will experience the murals
Measurable Objectives:
- Collect feedback from business owners hosting murals
- Conduct resident and business surveys to assess impact
- Track engagement through public comments, media coverage, and social platforms
- Estimate pedestrian and vehicular impressions of mural locations
- Document community involvement through design review participation
Estimated Project Completion Date:
December 15, 2025
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
2.1 Strengthen public-private initiatives that attract, develop, and retain diversified business sector.
3.1 Support neighborhood identity through services and programs that empower community pride and belonging.
