Local residents gave passionate speeches in defense of Phoenix’s vibrant and controversial murals at a community meeting Tuesday at the Burton Barr Central Library.
The city of Phoenix arranged the meeting after new murals, created as part of the Phoenix Mural Festival in May, drew criticism from residents in historic neighborhoods.
Some of the residents of the Willo Historic Neighborhood, where 15 homeowners had murals painted on their walls, received complaints about the new paintings.
At a June Willo Neighborhood meeting, a motion was put forth to contact the Phoenix Historic Preservation office and request a guideline to be formed regarding street-facing murals their compatibility with historic preservation mandates.
At the meeting, Willo Board of Director Robert Cannon voiced his concerns with the murals, asking the city for guidance on how to proceed.
Michelle Dodds, the historic preservation officer for Phoenix, spoke to clarify city regulations and guidelines. As it stands, murals do not require a permit to put up; only advertisements do. She did reassure those concerned that these murals will in no way affect the historic status of their neighborhoods.
Residents both for and against the murals spoke at the meeting. Those against requested murals be regulated in size and color. Some of those against the murals cited concerns about the property value of their homes. With homes in the Willo Neighborhood now approaching the million dollar range, residents worried that buyers will not want to purchase a home facing a vibrantly colored mural.
Many residents shared sentiments of what these murals mean to the community as the art scene in downtown Phoenix draws tourists and artists alike. Many emphasized their right as private property owners to decide what to do with their own homes.
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Local muralist Jeremie “Bacpac” Franko said the murals added valuable character to the city.
“What’s the tourism now? The paint. People are coming to Phoenix to see the paintings,” Franko said. “I want Phoenix to be the painted city.”
Coronado resident Joey Grether also gave a passionate speech defending the artwork.
“This is not just about murals,” Grether said. “This is our cultural stuff. This is about the music in our neighborhoods. This is about the food in our neighborhoods. This is what we all are invested in. These are our futures. These are our lives. We are living our lives in our neighborhoods, and murals are an important visual element of that.”
“The city has its own voice,” Danielle Foushée, founder of the Phoenix Mural Project said. “A vibe that speaks across cultural, social and economic barriers. It is specific to this place and this time.”
Skye Lucking, a muralist, said the murals don’t degrade historic value.
“Just because there is new art does not mean it erases the history,” she said.
No decision regarding the murals has been made. The city will continue to examine how other municipalities have taken on the challenge of regulating murals in their respective cities.
Contact the reporter at bsimons2@asu.edu.
