Public art is helping shape the identity of Essex – one mural, sculpture, and colorful streetscape at a time.
Sometimes, public art becomes a landmark we use when giving directions. Sometimes, it is a mural we pass every morning, a familiar sculpture, or an unexpected splash of color on an otherwise ordinary streetscape. In Essex, public art is already part of our community’s story.
From the Essex Gateway landmark sculpture to murals along Eastern Boulevard, art can be found throughout the community – and Essex CDC wants to help discover, celebrate, and create even more of it.
What Is Creative Placemaking?
Public art can play an important role in creative placemaking, a community development approach that uses arts, culture, and design to strengthen communities, celebrate local assets, improve public spaces, and support community-driven change.
Art can help make a place more recognizable, welcoming, and connected to its community. It can celebrate local history, highlight community stories, support artists, and transform everyday spaces into places people remember.
Here in Essex, we are seeing that happen in a variety of ways.
The Essex Cube: A Familiar Essex Landmark
For years, the Essex Cube greeted people as they crossed the Back River Bridge into Essex. Whether you loved it, questioned it, or simply used it as a landmark, the Cube became part of the community’s identity. When it was retired to make way for a new Gateway landmark sculpture, the Cube was moved and preserved in the courtyard at the Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River. Its story is a reminder that public art can become more than an object in a public space – it can become part of how a community remembers itself.
The Essex Gateway Landmark Sculpture
Today, the Essex Gateway landmark sculpture welcomes people entering Essex with a colorful lighthouse design that celebrates the community’s past, present, and future.
The artwork incorporates references to:
- Essex history
- Local businesses
- The Chesapeake Bay
- Community traditions
- The people and places that help define Essex
As a landmark, the sculpture helps introduce visitors to Essex while giving residents another recognizable symbol of their community.
Murals and Public Art Along Eastern Boulevard
Public art in Essex extends well beyond the gateway.
Along Eastern Boulevard, painted flower boxes add color and creativity to the commercial corridor. Murals have also transformed everyday spaces (including utility boxes!) into opportunities for artistic expression.
Essex CDC’s beautification efforts have included the Flower Box Murals in the 400 block of Eastern Boulevard and the Empact Art Mural at 142 Eastern Boulevard.
These projects demonstrate how relatively ordinary spaces can become opportunities to bring art, color, and community identity into the places people visit every day.
Public art can also be found in other parts of Essex, including Kenwood High School and the Essex Police Precinct.
Together, these projects show that art does not have to be confined to a gallery or traditional arts venue. It can live almost anywhere in a community.
Help Us Discover the Art of Essex
We know there is more!
Maybe there is a mural tucked inside your neighborhood. Perhaps students have created something incredible at your school. Maybe your church, community association, organization, or business has artwork that tells an Essex story.
We want to hear about it.
Essex CDC is beginning to identify and celebrate public and community art throughout the area. If you know about a mural, sculpture, installation, or other piece of art in your neighborhood, school, organization, or business, share it with us by emailing us at info@essexcdc.org. Tell us:
- Where is it located?
- Who created it, if you know?
- What is the story behind it?
- What does it mean to you or the community?
By documenting the art already found throughout Essex, we can help showcase the creativity, history, and stories that make our community unique.
Help Bring More Public Art to Essex
While we celebrate the public art that already exists, Essex CDC is also looking toward the future. We are recruiting community members to serve on our Essex Mural Festival Committee.
Essex CDC is working with two muralists who have connections to Essex to develop an event in the coming months that will bring artists, residents, businesses, and community partners together to create more public art throughout Essex.
Why Community Participation Matters
Public art is particularly powerful when residents are part of its development and creation. Committee members will have an opportunity to help:
- Explore what an Essex Mural Festival could look like
- Identify potential mural locations
- Connect with artists, businesses, and community partners
- Engage residents and gather community input
- Develop an event that reflects the character and identity of Essex
Our goal is to create something that feels authentically Essex, and community involvement will be an important part of making that happen.
Interested in Joining the Essex Mural Festival Committee?
If you are interested in helping bring more public art to Essex, complete our Interest Form HERE to apply to become a committee member.
By the end of October, Essex CDC will contact those who expressed interest with additional information about the committee and opportunities to get involved.
There is already art all around Essex. Now, let’s discover it, celebrate it, and create more of it together.
