The Stacks

Southside Public Arts Initiative

KCCI’s 2026 Community Catalyst team is leading a bold placemaking initiative to add more creativity into the community. They are re-imagining public spaces and developing a plan that brings art, connection, and vibrancy into neighborhoods. One of the main aspects of this scope is the Southside Public Arts Initiative, which is complimented by the local school artistic projects.

Building the Southside Public Arts Initiative

Creating a landmark public art destination takes more than paint and walls—it takes people and strategic planning. From students and neighbors to local artists and community partners, the Southside Public Arts Initiative is shaped by hundreds of voices and creative hands. Following is a look at how this project is coming to life.

Inspiring the Next Generation

To ensure the murals reflect the spirit of the community, KCCI began where creativity and talent flows most freely: in our local schools. Through hands‑on presentations, students learned about the power of public art, the careers behind public art and murals, and how murals help shape a sense of place and placemaking.

More than 250 student mural designs were submitted to KCCI in response to the prompt:
“What would make you happy to see and want to take a picture with?”

What they imagined was joyful, bold, and deeply human:

Theme % of Student Designs
Nature scenes 33.7%
Shapes & patterns 16.5%
Positive words 15.4%
People 13.8%
Animals 5.2%
Other ( like sports and religious symbols, etc.) 9%

Students took home coloring pages to share with people who make them smile—spreading the project’s message of connection. Thanks to partners like Florida Legal Services and CWD Dental Group, students received art portfolio folders, coloring books, and “Smile Kits” to keep the creativity going.

These school visits educated while gathering ideas. They also sparked conversations about placemaking, placekeeping, and the role of public art in building community pride.

Calling All Professional Muralists

To bring the final murals to life, KCCI launched a wide‑reaching Call for Muralists.

The response was strong:

41 mural designs submitted from artists from across Tallahassee and beyond applied—including several from the Southside and submissions from as far away as Texas.

The call was promoted through local media, social platforms, arts organizations, neighborhood networks, and even door‑to‑door outreach in the South Monroe business district. Local businesses were excited to see artistic momentum in the area.

A selection team reviewed the submissions independently, then met collectively to discuss and make the final selections.

Spreading the Word

The professional artists were announced March 25, 2026. KCCI is showcasing each artist on social media and on the web site. KCCI is exploring additional storytelling opportunities, including YouTube artist features. The artists were announced with a press event March 25th and were celebrated at an event event at the site of the historic Waterworks Building, which was a previous KCCI project, where the team worked to save the historic building from being destroyed and provided a highest-and-best-use document to the City of Tallahassee so that it could be re-imagined.

This project is about murals—and building a shared sense of belonging through art, storytelling, and civic leadership.

What’s Next

The excitement continues with upcoming event opportunities for the community to engage. KCCI will update this page and social media as plan develop for the following.

Artist Panel & Happy Hour
A chance to meet the professional muralists, hear their stories, and learn about their creative process.Meet the Artists RSVP

Art in Action
Come watch now through May as the murals come to life in real time.

Community Paint Day

Neighbors, students, and visitors are invited to help bring the murals to life during select Saturday May paint days. These sessions let people of all ages add their own brushstrokes, meet others, and feel part of a shared creative project. The sign up link will go live in late April. These murals are more than artwork—they are a community experience shaped by everyone who shows up.

These events will bring neighbors, artists, and partners together to celebrate creativity and the transformation of the Southside corridor.

A Community Effort

Through placemaking, public art, and civic leadership, community voices are being united to create a destination where everyone feels they belong – and wants to take a picture! The Southside Public Arts Initiative is more than a mural project—it’s a movement powered by collaboration, imagination, and pride in place. As Leon County’s largest public art installation, this mural destination will create an accessible year-round destination on the Southside, advancing the Southside CRA’s goals and South Monroe/South Adams and South City neighborhood goals.

This project is a collaboration between nonprofit, private partners and the CRA. It is made possible KCCI’s leadership, led by KCCI’s 2026 Community Catalyst team and supported by KCCI’s partners, and in collaboration with the City of Tallahassee Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and SOMO Walls. To match $30,000 KCCI secured from the private sector, KCCI requested $30,000 from the Southside CRA’s $12.4 million fund allocated for 2026 to support local artists.

This match was approved and was recommended by CRA staff and unanimously approved by the Southside CRA Advisory Committee in January 2026 during their review processes, and it was approved by the CRA Board in late January. The CRA Board which consists of the Mayor and City Commissioners. This CRA investment leverages private dollars and citizen engagement to pay professional muralists to create the iconic art. The investment boosts an emerging small-business area, and requires no long-term maintenance from the CRA, while creating a visual draw that the public immediately enjoy. 100% of the funds requested from the CRA ( the public dollars aspect) support the local economy, specifically to pay the local professional muralists to bring the murals to fruition.

This KCCI vision and project brings to life many of the goals mentioned in the South Monroe-South Adams Action Plan, Southside Action Plan, the South City Master Plan, the Southside CRA priorities and supports other Southside neighborhood goals.

Destination Murals = Proven Economic Impact

Examples of Cities Reaping the Economic Rewards from Murals

Detroit, MI
Murals increased foot traffic and supported small‑business growth, helping reposition neighborhoods as creative destinations.

Miami, FL (Wynwood)
Large‑scale murals transformed a warehouse district into a global arts hub, driving tourism, retail expansion, and hundreds of millions in economic activity. Read more here.

Cincinnati, OH
A nationally recognized mural program revitalized business corridors and is now part of an NEA study measuring increased commercial activity and street vitality.

Why This Matters for Tallahassee

Positive economic impact — murals attract visitors and increase time spent in the area
Public art strengthens civic pride and provides positive mental health benefits
Creative placemaking supports local businesses
A destination mural in this location will position Downtown and the Southside as cultural destinations and create an additional feature along an emerging artistic corridor.

The Team

This year’s team is working to reclaim the spirit of Tallahassee through creativity and collaboration using placemaking tools. KCCI team members include:

Laura Barrett, Tetra Tech; Karen Brooks, Capital City Bank; Chris Carlberg, Florida State University; Alex Delgado, Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency; Shannon Devine, Academy Travel (Independent Contractor), Lori Elliott, Capital City Bank; Carla Juarez Farley, KPMG; Ryan Kline, Tallahassee Web Design; Tangela Lofton, Florida SBDC at FAMU; Holly McPhail, Windwood Communications; Mary McVicar, McV Tax; Pamela Monroe, Leon County Public Library; Tena Pate, Tena Pate and Associates, LLC; Chris Petley, Leon County Schools; Nicole Spina, Architects Lewis + Whitlock; Sam Varn, Retired (Awards4U).

Murals

Michael Crowne “Wings of Continuum”
Taylor Shaw “Statua Libertatis”
Sam McCoy & Meghan Mick “Wingbeats Daybreak”
Amanda VanStratum “Swipe right on Wild: Panther POV”
Sam McCoy & Meghan Mick “Wingbeats Twilight”
Amanda VanStratum “Game on Gator: Marsh Maze”
Myah Freeman “Tallahassee Legend”
Matthew Forrest “King of the Jungle”

Thanks to our generous sponsors

Mural Descriptions

Michael Crowne “Wings of Continuum”

“Wings of Continuum,” inspired by mockingbirds, represents the unbroken passage of shared voices and resilience, where many expressions are carried forward together through adaptation, memory, and flight.

Michael Crowne is a professional graphic artist and muralist whose work is grounded in visual storytelling and experiential expression. Born in Los Angeles, California, and currently based in Tallahassee, Florida, his artistic journey began at an early age through drawing and illustration. From its inception, his practice has focused on capturing the essence of time, place, emotion, and sensory memory through first-hand knowledge and thoughtful observations. At the core of Michael’s work is a belief in the transformative potential of large-scale visual art. Murals, when thoughtfully integrated into architectural environments, operate as enduring visual narratives that reflect culture, history, and community-lived experiences. The permanence of exterior installations demands conceptual responsibility and technical rigor, resulting in work that enhances space, encourages stewardship, and fosters long-term engagement. Through his work, he seeks to translate imagination into form, grounding abstract ideas within tangible spaces that honor their foundations while allowing room for interpretation, reflection, and discovery.

Artist’s Instagram | Artist’s Website

Taylor Shaw “Statua Libertatis”

This mural reinterprets the Statue of Freedom by Thomas Crawford through a contemporary, geometric lens. The figure embodies strength, resilience, and collective progress, transforming a historic national symbol into something immediate and accessible. Layered forms and bold color create a sense of movement, suggesting that freedom is not fixed, but continuously shaped by the people. By bridging classical sculpture and modern visual language, the mural invites viewers to reflect on the evolving meaning of freedom, creating a destination that celebrates identity, unity, and forward momentum.

Taylor Shaw’s work is the intersection of public art, storytelling, and place. He draws inspiration from coastal environments, Southern culture, and the layered identities of the communities served. As a muralist, sculptor, and educator, Taylor creates bold, large-scale compositions rooted in local history, ecology, and narrative. Taylor’s aesthetic blends crisp, interlocking forms with rhythmic color systems drawn from regional palettes. Wildlife, landmarks, and local symbols are reimagined through a cubist lens, resulting in work that feels both familiar and reinterpreted. Taylor aims to create murals that function as visual landmarks, spaces where people can see themselves, their environment, and their stories represented with clarity and energy.

Artist’s Instagram | Artist’s Website

Sam McCoy & Meghan Mick “Wingbeats Daybreak”

Inspired by the area’s landscapes at dawn, this mural presents a macrocosm of the area’s flora and fauna. Notice that a cypress tree flanks a close-up view of grasses and wildflowers, including the delicate climbing fetterbush and purple sundial lupine. The lifecycle of the frosted elfin butterfly is showcased within the landscape. This supersaturated landscape highlights the biodiversity and delicacy of Tallahassee ecosystems.

Samantha McCoy and Meghan Mick are friends, artistic collaborators, and educators who share an appreciation of natural ecosystems, particularly the unique species found in the north Florida region. They began teaching a graphics course together at FSU in 2023 and quickly discovered a common fascination with the natural world and a love of the power of public art to connect people to their places. Their first large-scale collaboration occurred in the summer of 2025 with the mural “Dusk in the Longleaf Gap” in Monticello. It celebrates the longleaf pine ecosystem of the Red Hills and the role of people in the stewardship of the land. Together, Sam and Meghan share their love of this region through imagery and storytelling. Their collaboration enriches their unique perspectives, shining through in both the process and the final product.

Sam’s Instagram | Sam’s Website | Meghan’s Instagram | Meghan’s Website

Amanda VanStratum “Swipe right on Wild: Panther POV”

The panther mural invites viewers into a distinctly Florida symbol of wilderness. Positioned at the crossing sign, the panther reaches outward in a playful selfie pose, drawing viewers into the frame. It encourages interaction: step beside the panther, snap a photo, and share Florida’s untamed spirit online.

Amanda VanStratum’s is artwork explores the belief that beauty is not just decoration: it is sustenance. She believes that beauty reminds us of the bold hope of being alive, that we belong, and that joy is worth holding onto. Through bold color, narrative imagery, and playful symbolism, Amanda creates pieces that feel both joyful and meaningful. Amanda also believes that community is not simply a shared space; it is a shared story. Public art becomes part of that story. Public art anchors memory, sparks conversation, and reflects collective identity back to the people who walk past it every day. When art enters a community, it weaves individuals into something larger, a story not just lived in, but celebrated.

Artist’s Instagram

Sam McCoy & Meghan Mick “Wingbeats Twilight”

The dramatic North Florida landscape at sunset is illustrated in Wingbeats Twilight. On a warm spring night, a wood stork is seen carrying materials to make a nest in the cypress wetlands. Fireflies (or lightning bugs as the locals call them) create a glittering landscape among native flora. This supersaturated landscape highlights the biodiversity and delicacy of the local ecosystems. This mural compliments the mural “Daybreak” and they form the Wingbeats diptych. Together, the murals explore transitional themes from day to night, ground to sky, and stillness to motion.

Sam’s Instagram | Sam’s Website | Meghan’s Instagram | Meghan’s Website

Amanda VanStratum “Game on Gator: Marsh Maze”

The Pac-Man inspired mural transforms Florida wildlife into playful characters navigating a vibrant maze. Children and adults can imagine themselves inside the game, becoming gators, tortoises, or owls; the animals that originally called this area home. Families are invited to celebrate Florida’s biodiversity while connecting through a familiar gaming language that sparks curiosity, exploration, and environmental appreciation.

Artist’s Instagram

Myah Freeman “Tallahassee Legend”

The inspiration behind this piece is rooted in honoring those who have paved the way for us today. Mrs. Anita Davis was the first woman to serve as president for the Tallahassee Branch of NAACP, as well as the first African American woman to be elected to the Leon County Board of County Commissioners. The bold use of color portrays the legend in a positive and attractive light, undoubtedly sparking the curiosity of viewers.

Myah Freeman is a multidisciplinary visual artist born and raised in Jacksonville. Her personal work specializes in portraiture, also using cardinal motifs, monochromatic blues, vibrant color blocking, acrylic paint, and gold accents. Freeman enjoys making work that is powerful, bold, and regal, undoubtedly grabbing the attention of viewers. Outside of her personal work, Freeman aims to create artwork that reflects the community, showing others in a positive and uplifting light. At 16, Freeman began her art business, MyahnArt LLC, providing creative services and products. After obtaining her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from FSU (2021), she moved back home and dove headfirst into her art career and business. She has niched down, focusing on murals, fine art, and commercial art. Freeman has completed work for companies including the Cummer Museum, Ritz Theater & Museum, the Jacksonville Jaguars, First Coast News, the City of Tallahassee, and the Jacksonville Transportation Authority.

Artist’s Instagram | Artist’s Website

Matthew Forrest “King of the Jungle”

The majestic lion represents the namesake of Leon County; Ponce DeLeon. Its strength and resilience are symbolic of the youthful energy that dwells within our fair city. Perhaps the Spanish explorer was correct as to the whereabouts of the fabled fountain of youth.

Matthew Forrest is a multidisciplinary artist from Tallahassee, Florida. Working under the pseudonym briteso, he examines the unspoken language of American life and culture through painting and digital media. Emphasizing people, culture, and kitsch, his work attempts to balance order and chaos utilizing subject, color, composition, and abstraction to create bold, captivating visuals.

Ostensibly an alter ego, briteso is more like a state of mind than a person. Put simply, it’s about Forrest identifying and becoming the best version of himself. Along with works on canvas, briteso is painting a series of murals which depict inspirational figures throughout the history of his hometown of Tallahassee.

Artist’s Instagram | Artist’s Website