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Fraser mural festival to celebrate art, raise money for creative arts center

A rendering of how the upcoming Fraser Mural Festival will look. The new event is scheduled for July.
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Schedule of Events: Fraser Mural Festival

Friday, July 26

8-9 a.m.: Artist Check-in

9 a.m.: Start painting

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.: Live DJ

11 a.m. – 1 p.m.: Lunch Break

6 p.m.: Artist finish painting

Saturday, July 27

8 a.m. – 9 p.m.: Artists check-in

9 a.m.: Artists start painting

11 a.m. – 1 p.m.: Lunch Break

10 a.m. – 4 p.m.: Live DJ

4 p.m. – 6 p.m.: Live Music

6 p.m.: Finish Painting

6:30-7 p.m.: Awards

It’s hard to walk anywhere in downtown Fraser without seeing the rainbow colors of a mural splashed on the side of a business or the bench of a bus station. Now, Fraser is hoping to capitalize on its art scene with a new mural festival this summer.

The Fraser Mountain Mural Festival will be held on July 26 and 27 and feature the work of 20 artists, as well as live music, food and activities. Each artist will be provided with an eight-foot square panels to cover with a mural and compete for cash prizes in two categories.

All of the proceeds from the event will go to funding the Fraser Center for Creative Arts, a recently approved Public Arts Committee project that would encompass an art gallery, artist studios, makerspaces and seven apartments.



“We just want to make it a great place to hang out for the weekend and enjoy some live art happening,” said Eric Vandernail, member of the Public Arts Committee.

The festival will take place at the future location of the arts center and the proposed layout for the artist booths mirrors the shape of the arts center concept design. Murals produced during the event will remain on display until Memorial Day weekend, when they will be auctioned off to raise money for the arts center.



Vandernail said the event will not only help raise awareness and money for the arts center, but also build on Fraser’s support for public art and expand on its mural programs, including the Fraser Mural Program and the Zephyr Chairlift Beautification Program.

“This is something that we’ve been wanting to do since last summer when we did more murals and thought it would be cool to do a mural festival,” he explained.

Participating artists can choose from four themes for their murals ­— local history, local preservation, transportation and outdoor life. Their murals will be judged on which ones fit the themes best and there will also be a people’s choice award.

The winner of the theme award gets $2,500, second place will get $1,300 and third place will get $1,000. The people’s choice award winner will receive $2,500.

“We really want to get some good artists to submit for this and be able to choose some good artists that will produce really good work,” Vandernail said. “We want a mix (of styles).”

He added that they are also hoping to partner with surrounding local restaurants, breweries and distilleries to offer specials during the festival. Vandernail said the event organizers are hoping to draw about 500 people.

“With the event going on, I think people will realize that Fraser is walkable and there’s a lot of things going on here,” he said.

Interested artists, vendors or volunteers can find more information at frasermountainmuralfest.com.


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