The Redlands city council voted three to two, Tuesday evening to approve plans for their first crosswalk mural. It will also be the city’s first mural to include the LGBTQ community.
“The mural is inclusive of the entire community," said Daniel Gohman, director of The Artlands, the organization behind the proposal. "It’s got all the colors of the rainbow, black, white, [and] brown.”
Designed by artists from the Pulp Press Collective, the mural will feature cartoon characters painted in each of those colors. Pedestrians and drivers will spot figures like a librarian, skateboarder and person in drag.
Crosswalks decorated with creative murals are increasingly becoming popular in southland cities with places like Rancho Cucamonga, Long Beach, Pasadena and Los Angeles already having them.
Gohman said it’s difficult for artists to make it here in the Inland Empire, with many leaving to find work in L.A. so “to get support from the city is a huge win," said Gohman.
The Artlands, a grassroots community operation, has been working to get more support for local creative projects which is how they won the grant to fund this crosswalk project.
The group plans to complete the artwork on Vine Street by Labor Day.
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