Artscapes Mural Art Initiative

Creating More Beauty

Artscapes’ Goals

Artscapes is a community beautification initiative created to inspire civic pride and abate graffiti in Denton’s public spaces by painting new murals throughout the city.

In 2014, Keep Denton Beautiful, with input from Denton volunteers and neighborhoods, launched an effort to create painted mural artwork in key gateway points and neighborhood areas around Denton.

The Artscapes Mural Art Initiative targets high traffic and graffiti-prone sites for new murals, using a street art aesthetic to achieve the following goals:

Beautify and enliven public spaces,
Abate graffiti
Inspire community action to keep our city clean and beautiful

Artists, Murals & Descriptions

Travis Sykes – Bell Avenue and Sherman Drive
Shay McAnally – Bonnie Brae Street and Scripture Street
- Removed due to roundabout construction
Mick Burson – Bell Avenue and Prairie Street
Travis Sykes – Austin Street and Hickory Street
Dan Colcer – Railroad underpass at Dallas Drive (US-77) and Eagle Drive

Upcoming Projects

Dan Black – Foundations of Our History at railroad underpass at Robertson Street and Bell Avenue

Selection Process

Mural locations and artists were selected in collaboration with Keep Denton Beautiful’s Special Projects Committee, which consists of volunteer community members who are passionate about the work of KDB, and support efforts to beautify our city.

Committee members specifically look at the following when selecting both artists and sites for new projects:

Overall cost
Site ownership and permissions
Potential visibility and impact to the community
Relevance to the primary goals of the initiative (beautification, graffiti abatement, and fostering community pride)

The Impact of Murals

Nationally, public mural art has shown to be effective for beautifying sites that are chronically prone to graffiti. Keep America Beautiful affiliates – like Keep Denton Beautiful – have had great success with this approach around the country, creating more beautiful public spaces and instilling community pride in the process. This strategy is the foundation of the Artscapes Mural Initiative.

Resources List:

Support KDB Murals!

Funding for the Artscapes murals is made possible entirely through the support from sponsorships and community donations. To make a secure, tax-deductible online contribution to Artscapes and support Keep Denton Beautiful’s grass roots beautification efforts, donate below.