Host a Mural Event in Your Town
Create a Legacy: Host a Mural Event in Your Town
Bring the “Walldog Magic” to your community by hosting a mural event that transforms your town into an outdoor gallery. Beyond the stunning hand-painted art, a Walldog event is a proven catalyst for economic growth, driving “cultural tourism” that fills local hotels and boosts shop sales by thousands of dollars.
Whether you join our multi-year waiting list for a massive Open Festival or opt for a streamlined Commissioned Mural Event, you are investing in more than just paint—you are creating a lasting legacy of local pride and “common unity” that will inspire residents and visitors for generations to come.
Why Host a Mural Festival?
Walldog murals function as powerful economic drivers by transforming communities into vibrant outdoor art galleries. When an area hosts the The Walldogs festival, the influx of artists, volunteers, and visitors generates an immediate spike in local spending and provides a lasting visual attraction that boosts long-term tourism and business.
Immediate Economic Impact (The Festival Phase)
Artist & Volunteer Spending: Hosting hundreds of artists means a massive surge in demand for local lodging, restaurants, grocery stores, and hardware shops.
Volunteer Mobilization: The festival relies heavily on community participation, which builds deep local pride and rallies volunteers to revitalize their own downtown aesthetics.
Media & PR: The multi-day event draws regional and national media attention, giving the host city free marketing and exposure to a broader demographic.
Long-Term Economic Benefits (The Tourism Phase)
Open-Air Museum Foot Traffic: Murals create a free, accessible 24/7 tourist attraction. Visitors are encouraged to walk through historic downtowns, directly increasing foot traffic past local retailers, cafes, and boutiques.
Mural Trails & Digital Engagement: Towns often build structured “mural trails.” By utilizing onsite QR codes, cities can easily direct tourists to digital maps, local business promotions, and historical storytelling platforms.
Increased Property Value & Revitalization: The beautification of fading building facades and historic “ghost signs” increases overall district appeal, which is linked to higher commercial property values and neighborhood revitalization.
General Open Festival Guidelines
Open Festival Overview
A high-energy, multi-day takeover where up to 250 artists from around the world paint 13 to 18 historical murals in under a week. It runs from Wednesday evening through Sunday. Host communities will:
- Gather local history, heritage, and landmark stories to help choose meaningful mural themes.
- Secure building permissions and prep the physical brick or wall surfaces before the artists arrive.
- Raise funds for materials, equipment, and event coordination, while setting up local planning committees.
- Recruit local volunteers to assist artists, provide meals, and manage daily needs during the multi-day event.
- Establish a plan to care for and protect the finished murals for years to come.
Open Festival Paid Roles & Lodging
The host community covers three key paid positions: the Walldog Coordinator, a Designer for each mural, and an event Documentarian. Free hotel rooms are provided for these core staff starting Tuesday night. Painting registrants and families are paid “in kind” with free meals and lodging Wednesday through Saturday. Lodging is with local host families, designated campsites or dorms.
Meals & Community
Hospitality
Free meals are provided for all registered painters and staff, starting with a welcome dinner on Wednesday and wrapping up with breakfast on Sunday. Saturday night features a celebratory gala and auction where designer’s mural sketches (maquettes) are sold, splitting the money 50/50 between the local mural fund and the Walldogs.
Logistics
& Equipment
The local team sets up a central HQ for paints, tools, and heavy gear. The community supplies everything needed to paint safely and comfortably: lifts, scaffolding, ladders, pop-up tents, drop cloths, and cleanup supplies. You’ll also handle event insurance, site safety, and a backup plan for bad weather worked out with the coordinator.
Volunteer Roles
& Committees
It takes a village to run a festival this size. Key volunteer teams tackle fundraising, local history, registration, promo, meals, housing, and site setup. Plus, every single mural site gets at least one dedicated “runner” on hand to grab extra supplies or run quick errands so the artists never have to stop.
Branding
& Registration
The Walldog Coordinator designs an official event logo, which goes onto free t-shirts for every registered artist (with extra shirts printed to sell to the public). The local team handles artist registration online through a simple website and spreads the word across community and Walldog social media pages.
OPEN FESTIVALS
Each year, our global band of artisans selects one community for a multi-day festival planned up to five years in advance. Dozens of artists “paint the town,” leaving behind a permanent gallery of murals that celebrate your community’s unique history.
COMMISSIONED FESTIVALS
For communities that cannot wait for the festival list, this option hires a dedicated team of 3–5 artists per mural to complete 1–10 works over approximately five days. You will be assigned a paid Walldog Coordinator to manage the process and ensure a successful collaborative event.
