Street Art Muralism and the Right to the City

Street art muralism is currently being mobilized in North American cities as a form of urban branding, playing a significant role in transforming urban economies and infrastructures, making cities more enticing, diverse, tolerant, and entertaining. With the help of funding and support from both public and private organizations, street art muralism has swiftly become the most popular type of urban visual art that can be found in cities today. At the same time, it is also developing into a unique form of practice and knowledge that has a distinct emancipatory potential. This article explores these two projects, arguing that socially engaged street art mural projects are more effective than street art interventions from both an emancipatory and political perspective. Emphasis is placed on the values and contradictions of institutional partnership, the importance of mentorship, urban arts cadres, and critical artistic practices for developing new ways of engaging with democratic institutions.