Chemainus, B.C. was once a small town with a problem. Their local sawmill closed, which threatened their economic future; they needed a plan. Residents decided to try to bolster tourism by making Chemainus Canada’s first planned “Mural Town.” They utilized revitalization programs and installed large historic murals in their downtown core. Chemainus won the New York Downtown Revitalization Award for re-development of the town core, as well as the British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Award (the Americas). Today, there are 36 downtown murals, and over 400,000 tourists visit each year … not bad for a town of 4500 people! Chemainus has now been dubbed, “The Little Town that Did.”

     “Good urban design, which includes public art, increases the viability of your community because it raises property values,” explains Christine Fey, the Manager of Cultural Affairs in Reno, Nevada. Localm statistics for Ontario arts and craft festivals also support that art is big business.

    Many communities fund mural projects via building facade, sign improvement, historical and/or other revitalization programs. Provincial funding is also available for some mural projects. Some muralists may assist with resource referral and/or project coordination.

    The Chemainus Festival of Murals Society reports that “the creation of the murals has in turn created approximately 200 new businesses, the majority of these being Bed & Breakfasts, Gift Shops, Ice Cream Shops, Guided Tours & Horse Drawn Tours. Most of these businesses are owner operated and so many students are hired throughout the town during the summer, including by the Festival Of Murals Society through government grant programs.”

Los Angeles now has a huge mural project underway, as it has resolved to restore “The Great Wall,” the largest mural in the world, which measures 2754 feet in width. There are also plans to add images from the 1960’s until the present, in order to update the historic mural, which now spans prehistoric time until the 1950’s.

     Chemainus may have been the first Canadian town to realize the economical benefits of mural art, but others seem to be following suit:

Huntsville, Ontario now boasts ten large murals, as well as another ten murals planned to be installed prior to their hosting Mural 2007 Festival in June/July 2007. “It will be a tourist attraction as it grows and develops and it re-enforces the beautification of the downtown,” said Robin Brushey, BIA coordinator.

Oshawa, Ontario’s Downtown Action Committee decided that wall murals would be among its first endeavors, as it was felt that “murals would beautify the downtown, add interest and instill civic pride.” Oshawa now offers walking and step-on tours of the murals during the summer months.

Pembroke, Ontario was “the first Canadian community to have commercial electric street lighting.” Now, it seems to again be among the first of the “mural towns”. Pembroke is now home to over thirty historic murals in its downtown core. It has also developed a retail line of Pembroke Heritage Mural Postcards and Prints.