Santa Monica is an arts and culture hub, home to more than 120 street art murals all within its 8.3 square miles and eight neighborhoods. The murals are brought to life by a combination of different entities from the City of Santa Monica, local business improvement districts, private groups and people as well as Beautify Earth, a non-profit whose mission is to transform every wall into a beautiful piece of art. Responsible for a majority of the murals in Santa Monica, Beautify Earth began adorning walls in Santa Monica along Lincoln Boulevard six years ago and has since grown to an international movement.
While each mural has its own story to tell, several stand out for capturing the unique history and vision of Santa Monica. For example, the “Jay Adams Tribute” by artist Dvate pays tribute to the accomplishments of one of skateboarding’s biggest icons and the sport’s history on Main Street. “Beach Day” by Bumblebee, located on Wilshire Boulevard, shares the excitement of a day at the beach from the perspective of a child, albeit a larger-than-life child at 50-feet tall. Meanwhile, the mural “Anthony Bourdain” by Jonas Never remembers the celebrity chef, author and TV personality who passed away in June 2019 with a 13-foot tribute next to the bar and restaurant Gramercy Santa Monica.
To help both visitors and residents better discover the local art scene, Santa Monica Travel & Tourism has created a comprehensive guide that lists every street art mural in Santa Monica. SMTT’s guide provides a photo, address and - when possible - mural and artist name to provide for the easiest and most efficient way to explore Santa Monica’s street art scene. The guide can be accessed at https://www.santamonica.com/complete-guide-to-street-art-murals-in-santa-monica.
Is there a street mural we missed or a new one you’ve spotted? Email marketing@santamonica.com so we can add it to the guide!
