The initiative of 60 murals was dubbed #MakeArtWhileApart and led by the Vancouver Mural Festival. The colourful painted murals helped spark joy and inspire hope for those who happened to walk by the works of art however, many of them disappeared as businesses began to re-open months later.
Now, with the renewed support from bodies like the City of Vancouver, Downtown Vancouver BIA and Robson BIA, and South Granville BIA, the city can expect to see more art embodying messages of hope and positivity.
“As we’ve seen during COVID-19 with storefront hoarding murals, construction hoarding offers a potential new ‘canvas’ for the city’s artists and arts and culture organizations to bring to life in terms of fostering a quality public realm that contributes to engaging, active cultural experiences in our urban spaces,” the city of Vancouver said on March 31, approving a motion that could require murals and public art on construction boarding.