First Halifax Mural Festival brightens city

Organizer Michael Burt is happy to finally see it come to fruition

CITYnews halifax \ Jordan Parker

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The Halifax Mural Festival has been a few years in the making, and organizer Michael Burt is happy to finally see it come to fruition.

Burt – owner of signage company Trackside Studios – had his plans for the event put on hold due to COVID-19, but artists have now descended on Halifax too beautify things.

“This year, after a few difficult ones, we decided to just go for it and do this,” said Burt. “COVID put in on the backburner, but it was time to get this done.”

While this is the first Mural Festival, there is another similar event already under Burt’s belt.

“I did an event through a non-profit for four years in Mulgrave Park. It was called Paint The Park, and it was really important to me,” he said.

“We tried to call attention to the condition of the area and the walls. Eventually, the city came and switched things up. A lot got done there.”

His company, Trackside Studios, is perfectly made for these kinds of projects. They specialize in large-scale murals and custom artwork.

“I’ve been doing this work for more than a decade. I met so many people, and lots of cities have done things like this. I feel like it’s needed,” he said.

The festival began on July 11^th, and Burt is pleased with how things have gone so far.

“We’ve had a few bumps, but that’s to be expected in your first year. It’s nice to see paint hit the walls, and it’s all going pretty well,” he said.

“There are learning curves but everyone is painting. We have one more artists to show up, then we’re all rocking.”

With sponsors like Garrison Brewing, the Atlantica Hotel, Threesixfive, Pro Skateboards and more, there’s plenty of support behind the festival.

“I’m just really excited. I look at all this, and people saw my vision, and were able to trust me. They gave me support and I needed that to make this happen,” he said.

There was one sponsor in general who took a big step first, and that was Garrison.

“I wasn’t set on a location to do this originally, but settled on the Waterfront and Quinpool Road. I have a great relationship with Garrison, who have the taproom at the old Oxford,” he said. “I did their Audrey Hepburn in the back, and it’s such an amazing location. “

He spoke to the Quinpool Road Mainstreet District Association with Garrison on board, and they were excited about the festival.

“A lot of the walls along Quinpool just don’t have colour. I pitched this and the association was interested,” he said. “It makes sense that people can walk to each mural and artists can be close to each other. This all worked out so well.”

With Mulgrave Park, Burt had paintings of Portia White and Viola Desmond, and he sees it as vital to have the art on display for people.

“That’s exactly what it’s for. Art and street art are for the public, and we want people to see it. We want those reactions. I care about this city, and I hate bare walls,” he said.

There are 20 artists from around the country, and one more internationally. It’s a wealth of talent Burt is proud to have have assembled.

“They are mostly from Canada, and we have folks from Toronto, Montreal, British Columbia, locals, and one person from North Carolina,” he said. “Local artists are doing electrical boxes, and then bigger works are mostly done by national artists. It gives them the chance to meet others who do this and learn so much.”

With an intense weekend ahead, including Halifax Jazz Festival and Halifax Pride, Burt is hoping folks stop to enjoy the murals on display also.

“All of this is free. We have huge things going on on Quinpool on Saturday, including sidewalk sales, chalk art, and a closing party at East Peak. It will be an amazing week and day,” he said.

“We want people to come connect to these murals, and I’m so excited for folks to see what we have going on.”

To learn more about the Halifax Mural Festival, visit discoverhalifaxns.com/event/halifax-mural-festival/.