SPECIAL PROJECTS /
Each year we try to form unique relationships and create special projects that benefit our community.
NATIVE MURAL PROJECT /
The Native Mural Project began during the 2020 Eureka Street Art Festival. This project was created in partnership with the Native Cultures Fund, the Humboldt Area Foundation, and a committee of local Native leaders.
Four Local Native artists (Alme Allen, Carl Avery, Melitta Jackson + Julian Lang) were invited to participate in the first year of project, given space on one continuous wall, creating a large, impactful piece. This large mural was painted by local Native American artists to ensure their perspectives are represented in the local public art scene. We are grateful of the support of the Native Cultures Fund for bringing this project to fruition.
A committee of local Native leaders lead this project to ensure that it comes from the communities that it is designed to benefit. While the ESAF team was responsible for coordination, legwork, and background tasks of making this mural a reality, the committee coordinated community outreach and made all artist selections.
Although funding has not been available to continue this project at the same scale, we have continued our commitment to featuring native artists, especially local native artists.
SIDEWALK POETRY PROJECT /
During the 2020 ESAF, we paired local poets and visual artists to create ephemeral sidewalk poetry pieces throughout Henderson Center.
CHINA TOWN MURAL /
During the 2021 ESAF, we partnered with the Eureka Chinatown Project to help facilitate the creation of a mural to honor the history of Eureka's Chinatown and the local Asian population. This project resulted in the painting of "Fowl", by David Kim.
COUNTY COURTHOUSE MURAL /
During the 2021 Festival, we partnered with Humboldt County Courthouse and Board of Supervisors to paint the side of the Courthouse. The process involved a selection committee and generous funding from the County, and resulted in the painting of "We Built This City" by Blake Reagan + Lucas
BRIAN TRIPP MURAL RELOCATION + REPAINTING /
During ESAF 2021 we partnered with the Clarke Museum and local native artist Alme Allen to move and repaint the Brian Tripp mural, The Sun Set Twice on the People That Day, originally located on the side of the Eureka Theater.
EPIC MARTEN MURAL /
During the 2021 ESAF, we partnered with EPIC (the Environmental Protection Information Center) to create a piece honoring a local endangered specie. Their funding assistance resulted in the creation of a Humboldt Marten mural, painted by Mir De Silva.
Caltrans Samoa bridge murals /
During the 2022 Festival, we partnered with Caltrans and their Clean California Initiative to beautify the Samoa Bridge by painting four of its piers. Thanks to their generous funding, we facilitated a collaboration between a number of artists to create huge murals which brighten an underutilized area.
SLUGS OF EUREKA /
During the 2024 Festival, we partnered with local ceramic artists Shannon Sullivan and Jessica Swan to create these larger than life ceramic banana slugs, which are mounted on buildings throughout the City.