Art to Street murals transform

I love Nightcliff mural at Nightcliff seawall. Photograph courtesy City of Darwin.

The Art to Street project is transforming drab walls across Darwin into public art galleries, adding vibrancy and colour.

The project has seen seven local and emerging artists mentored to develop skills and capacity to deliver murals on seven public spaces across City of Darwin.

The artwork is adding vibrancy and colour to otherwise uninteresting spaces.

The Sound Shell at Mindil Beach has received a much needed facelift, with a large mural at the site nearing completion.

Five other sites across Darwin are also receiving an artistic makeover through the Art to Street project, which received dollar for dollar funding from the Federal Government totalling $90,000.

Lord Mayor, Kon Vatskalis, said, “Through the Art to Street project six tired areas across Darwin are being transformed with artworks that reflect our unique and multicultural lifestyle.

The image of a crocodile on the Mindil Beach Sound Shell is the latest mural to be unveiled. This project has special meaning to artist Denise Quall, a Larrakia woman.

“Being a descendant of the Dangalaba Clan (Saltwater Crocodile), the crocodile holds a special cultural importance to me and my family.

“We have great respect for these ancient creatures and I have chosen to paint a crocodile to demonstrate the respect my family and my culture has for these ancient creatures.”

Murals are also nearing completion at Walkway 81 in Wagaman, the retaining wall on Gardens Hill Crescent and West Lane in the central business district.

Murals at Casuarina Library and the Nightcliff Seawall have been completed.

Proper Creative, an organisation specialising in large scale murals and design consultation, has mentored the emerging artists through the process of developing and delivering commissioned art projects in these public spaces.