TOPEKA– Governor Laura Kelly announced on Feb 3rd, that 37 murals were completed in 14 Kansas communities in 2022 through the Office of Rural Prosperity’s (ORP) Rural Mural and Public Art Grant Programming. These grants helped communities with fewer than 10,000 residents create murals and public art projects to beautify public gathering spaces and offer new tourist attractions.

“These murals celebrate the beauty of Kansas and highlight everything our small towns have to offer,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “As our Rural Mural program continues to grow, I look forward to seeing how it showcases each community's individuality and contributions to our state."

The maximum amount of each grant was $10,000. Awardees were also required to provide a 1:1 match. A total of $93,500 was awarded last year. 

“These rural murals speak to everyone – tourists, locals, and children alike – and I encourage Kansans to take time to visit these locations,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Public art allows communities to showcase their past, present, and future in a creative way that will have a lasting impact for years to come.” 

“We had an incredible response to our Rural Mural program in 2022 and were able to complete more murals than we had in the past years,” Director of the Office of Rural Prosperity Trisha Purdon said. “The communities came together to support the artists and projects to see them through to the end.” 

Below is the list of ORP-funded murals completed in 2022. The murals are located in 13 counties throughout the state.

• City of Caldwell - Caldwell Firehouse Community Quilt Mural
• City of Chanute - Welcome Mural
• City of Girard - Girard Main Street Branding Mural
• Clay Center Community Improvement Foundation - Resting Art (14 benches with murals)
• Community Arts Council of Council Grove - The Sun Also Sets
• Community Foundation of Dickinson County - Welcome to Woodbine Mural
• Ellsworth County Economic Development Corporation - Millwood Realty Mural, Paden’s Place Mural, Munchkinz Bakery Mural, and City of Holyrood Mural
• Jackson County/Jackson County Tourism Council - Eastern Tallgrass Prairie Mural and Western Tallgrass Prairie Mural
• Meade County Historical Society Museum - Museum Murals
• Mitchell County Strong - Explore More Mural, Under the Sea Mural, Waconda Trader Mill Street Mural, Greetings from Cawker City Mural, and Trapper Lodge Mural
• Seneca Downtown Impact - Seneca Sampler Quilt Mural
• Stepping Up Inc. (Scott City) - Welcome Mural
• Wallace County Foundation - Blooming Poppies Mural, 1870s Railroad History Mural, and Welcome to Kansas Mural
• Wilson Tourism Hub - Heritage on Display

Project information and photos can be found on the interactive map at https://www.kansascommerce.gov/murals/.