Riverwalk Mural Collection

Riverwalk Mural Collection

Four Murals Activate Milwaukee's Riverwalk

Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21 and the Downtown Placemaking Task Force, in partnership with the Milwaukee Riverwalk District, led an initiative to install four murals along the Milwaukee Riverwalk. Four areas between Mason Street and Knapp Street were activated with new murals to engage pedestrian and waterway traffic, as part of the Milwaukee Riverwalk Mural Collection.

A Request for Proposals was released in August 2024 for the four mural sites. The Downtown Placemaking Task Force conducted submission reviews and interviews to select final artists. Four artists completed murals on the Riverwalk at the Knapp Street Bridge, Juneau Bridge Tower, 740 North by 3L and the Marcus Performing Arts Center.  

The Milwaukee Riverwalk Mural Collection is presented in partnership with the Downtown Placemaking Task Force, Milwaukee Riverwalk District, Milwaukee Theater District, Visit Milwaukee, and the City of Milwaukee. Since 2017, Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21 and the Downtown Placemaking Task Force have coordinated more than 25 murals throughout Downtown Milwaukee, including Westown in Bloom, Heart & Sol, Schlitz Park mural, Brighten the Passage and the Giannis mural, to name just a few.  

About the Artists

Unnaturell Design Co.’s mural concept “Luminous Waters” was selected for the Knapp Street Bridge site and represents the biological diversity of the Milwaukee River through a vibrant, modern palette and illustrative, bold style. Unnaturell Design Co. is the collaboration of Caledonia, Wisconsin-based muralist Thyla Arden and Washington-based artist Ayda Rose.

CERA’s "Glimmer Pursuit" mural concept was selected for the Juneau Bridge Tower site and is part of the artist’s "Light Seekers" series, which features a protagonist in a moment of curious and inquisitive exploration. The piece depicts a musician in motion following a light, as a connection to nearby performing arts venues.  

Brian Kaspr was selected as the mural artist at 740 North by 3L Living, where he installed a colorful, energetic collage mural inspired by community feedback titled "Buoyancy". Over 140 community members provided input on their Riverwalk experience, along with Milwaukee icons, lettering, and native plant species, to guide elements of the mural. Kaspr is a visual artist born and raised in Milwaukee, who explores abstraction through the use of typography, lettering, and found imagery. 

La Bang Studio, founded by artist Christina Vang, was selected to install "Vessels of Milwaukee" at the Marcus Performing Arts Center site. The mural features containers of all shapes and sizes, celebrating the rich narratives and unique assets of the Milwaukee Riverwalk and the Milwaukee Theater District. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Vang graduated from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design in 2009 and has cultivated a creative practice propelled by curiosity, play, and intuition.  

View the Murals Up Close with These Video Vignettes