Central Eastside Industrial Council & Central Eastside Together commission ten murals, develop Avenue of Murals
Central Eastside Industrial Council (CEIC) and Central Eastside Together (CET) has announced a dynamic partnership with Portland Street Art Alliance (PSAA), bringing creativity to the Central Eastside Industrial District. This collaborative effort marks CET's first mural commissions, adding ten new murals to the ambitious and aptly named "Avenue of Murals," stretching from the Eastbank Esplanade to 2nd Ave on Madison Ave.
The Avenue of Murals is a new concept inspired by the creative artistry already occurring under bridges. It aims to infuse vibrancy into the often-overlooked spaces beneath bridges. This revived multi-partner effort has a central mission: to use public art to revitalize public spaces. Recently, the Portland Street Art Alliance (PSAA) has added four murals to this collection, for a total of 18, each celebrating the unique spirit of the Central Eastside.
"We are surrounded by incredible people doing transformative work every day. Inspired by the artists already committed to this project, we saw an opportunity to expand this effort significantly,” said Carolyne Holcomb, Executive Director of Central Eastside Together. “As the District's advocate for a prosperous and vibrant community, we leveraged significant funding from Prosper Portland's Community Livability Grant, enabling us to help transform the Hawthorne viaduct into the 'Avenue of Murals.' We hope visitors and locals will experience this creative corridor and then explore Central Eastside’s bustling business district.”
Mural themes were developed with input from the Central Eastside business community, which indicated industrial history and cargo ships, freight trains, produce row, steam education, makers hub, river access, and river flora and fauna as their top selections. Each of the new columns represents one of these themes.
Portland’s Central Eastside is known as a world-class public art destination. It offers a barrier-free, affordable, and inclusive way to explore the District. Public art murals create an immediate visual impact on investment and culture, signaling community growth and adding to economic prosperity.
"Thanks to almost a decade of hard work by various organizations, the dream of painting the bridge viaduct columns in the Central Eastside has become a reality,” said Tiffany Conklin, Executive Director of the PSAA. “PSAA is incredibly thankful for our project partners and all the artists who have contributed so far. We also would like to acknowledge the support of the Ground Score Association and their assistance with wall preparation and mural base coat paint. We hope these murals become pillars of the industrial district, bridging its past, present, and future. A symbol of what makes this such a unique and fun place to work and play.”
Grateful for funding from Prosper Portland and Venture Portland, CET recognizes the significance of public art in revitalizing the district. Known by many as the Mural District, this title is not just a moniker but a commitment to preserving and expanding public art initiatives for sustained economic impact in the Central Eastside.
“Our investment in the Avenue of Murals serves as a proof of concept for revitalizing other viaducts in the District by showing that public safety can be achieved through environmental design efforts such as placemaking and art,” said Holcomb. “We are very proud to have worked with the community on a project important to the Central Eastside’s past, present, and future.”
Avenue of Murals Celebration Ride
Meet-up location: Factor Building | 226 SE Madison St
Date: Friday, August 2
Time: Ride begins promptly at 5 pm (approximately 2 hours, ride + tour)
After Party: Bear Blocks party at 7 pm
Grab your bike and head to the Central Eastside to join us for a one-night-only gathering to celebrate our vibrant public art murals! We’ll weave through the District, exploring our world-class street art, including 14 new public art works on the Avenue of Murals! We’ll end the night at Central Eastside’s newest community space, the Bear Blocks, at the south end of the Blumenauer Bridge.
Don’t miss this chance to ride, discover, and party with us! Join the Celebration Ride, presented by Central Eastside Together and Central Eastside Industrial Council in partnership with Friends of the Green Loop and Portland Street Art Alliance. See you there!
Learn More
For more information and photos about the Avenue of Murals, visit: centraleastside.biz/avenueofmurals
For more information about Portland Street Art Alliance’s work in the Central Eastside, visit: https://www.pdxstreetart.org/cemd