Hamilton, Ohio – We already knew it was going to be enormous.
Now we know exactly what the design for the 2024 StreetSpark mural coming this summer to the flood wall along the Great Miami River across from Spooky Nook will look like.
StreetSpark Program Manager Jennifer Acus-Smith announced the winning design – Tourism Series: Hamilton - by Often Seen Rarely Spoken on Monday, May 13.
At 250 feet wide by 15 feet high, the 3,750-square-foot wall serves as the canvas for the second-largest mural in the nine-year history of the program. (The largest? The 4,500-square-foot Taking Flight mural made in 2017 near Rotary Park.)
Acus-Smith said a committee of artists, visual art professionals, community members and program partners from within a 35-mile radius of Hamilton selected OSRS to create the mural. StreetSpark received 63 applications last fall before the committee invited six semifinalists to proceed with design work earlier this year.
“Their goal in this design is to connect the past to the present and create a culturally rich artistic backdrop for future Hamilton generations to be inspired by and feel connected to,” Acus-Smith said of OSRS’s winning concept. “The mural will be a visual treat for walkers, joggers and bikers along the Recreational Trail, as well as visitors viewing from across the river.
“This mural is part of OSRS’s ongoing Tourism Series. It features large, contemporary typography reading ‘Hamilton’ as a center point. The name is surrounded on both ends by imagery common to Hamilton's history and roots.”
Formed in 2016 – the same year StreetSpark launched - OSRS is a mural company and art collective specializing in large-scale projects. Based in Cincinnati and Louisville, OSRS has more than 200 mural projects in a dozen states across the country.
The Miami Conservancy District – who manages the flood wall as part of the regional flood protection system - approved the design. MCD completed repairs last year to prepare for the mural and ensure the wall stays strong.
There will be a community cleanup along the riverbank at the mural site from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, June 1. Painting begins Monday, June 5, with a projected completion date of June 20. There will be a dedication celebration in July at a date and time to be announced.
Founded in 2016 in partnership between the Fitton Center, the City of Hamilton and the Hamilton Community Foundation, StreetSpark furthers the creative identity of the city through exciting murals and public art projects. The program creates engagement by producing high-quality art, providing opportunities for local artists and enhancing the visual appeal of the city.
Since that first summer in 2016, StreetSpark artists designed and painted 19 murals and 17 utility boxes in a variety of styles. The newest murals are Bartels Butterflies - dedicated July 11, 2023 - at Bartels Heating and Cooling (929 Main Street) and Stream of Consciousness - dedicated July 20, 2023 - at the Lane Library (300 N. 3rd Street).See all the murals online here or download a map here to visit them in person.
The Fitton Center for Creative Arts is located at 101 S. Monument Avenue on the Riverfront in downtown Hamilton, Ohio.
Building Community Excellence through the Arts and Culture
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