Fells Point is the location this year for BRUSH Mural Fest, an event that celebrates public murals in Baltimore and the artists who create them.
Six teams of artists have been painting murals over the past several weeks and will unveil them during a free public celebration on Saturday, Sept. 26, from noon to 3 p.m.
The location is 1610 Thames St., home of Saints & Sinners Tattoos. The six murals have been painted on the east side of the building, facing the parking lot of The Sound Garden-Baltimore record store, and are visible from Thames Street.
Besides the unveiling of the murals, Saturday’s event will include DJ music; dance performances; food available for purchase from AREPI Venezuelan Eats; a makers’ market and art-making stations for kids and adults. Remarks from the BRUSH team and artist introductions will begin at 12:45 p.m.
This is the fourth year for the festival, which takes place in a different part of Baltimore each year and invites established and emerging artists to create murals there based on a predetermined theme. This year’s theme is “Echoes and Amplifiers” – things about Baltimore that the artists would like to amplify and things that echo its history.
Past events have been held in 2023 at Lexington Market, where the theme was “Smalltimore Vibes,” in 2024 at the Baltimore Convention Center, where the theme was “Hidden Gems,” and last year at Graffiti Alley in Station North, where the theme was “Re-Imagination.”
Highlighting talent and creativity
BRUSH Mural Fest was started by three Baltimore-based muralists: Jaz Erenberg, Saba Hamidi and Jess Langley. Its goals are to highlight the talent and creativity of local artists; provide opportunities for emerging muralists, and represent Baltimore’s vibrancy through community-centered public art.
Members of this year’s BRUSH Mural Fest team includeHamidi, the Executive Director; Caroline Lampinen, Artist Engagement Manager, and Saz Ross, Events Coordinator. Stacy Handler of Bloom Arts Strategy is a funding and strategy consultant and Eliza Malecki of Bloom Arts Strategy is the marketing and social media manager.
According to Hamidi, 50 artists applied to participate this year and 12 were selected. Each year, she said, organizers form teams by pairing an established or “pro” muralist with a “rising star” who assists the pro member of the team.
For 2026, the pros are: G. Pack; danamarie hosler; Maria Gabriela Aldana Enriquez; Camila Leão Lopes; April Skye and Sanah Brown-Bowers. The rising stars are Victoire Polsky; Kayla Bae; Majesty Reyes; Tatiana “Bunny” Robinson; Anisa Bailey and Artie Sadahiro. Each pro is paid $4,700 and each rising star receives $1000.
Supporters of BRUSH Mural Fest 2026 include: the Robert W. Deutsch Foundation, the primary funder; the Lord Baltimore Hotel; Create Baltimore; the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Culture and Entertainment; the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund; Maryland Art Place; the Baltimore Community Foundation; the Maryland State Arts Council; the Burkholder Agency; Visit Baltimore and others.
More activities
Hamidi said BRUSH Mural Fest has expanded by adding more activities and programs besides the community celebration on Saturday.
One addition is a three-day incubator program, called BRUSHWork, that was held in July at the Lord Baltimore Hotel. It was a required activity for all rising stars and was open to any artist who applied but did not get into the festival, as well as all past BRUSH alumni. The program included workshops and interactive sessions where emerging artists could learn about everything from how to transfer a design to a wall, to setting up an LLC, to pricing their work.
The team also hosted a Community Paint Day in collaboration with Empact Art, during the September Art Walk in the Bromo Arts District and had its first BRUSH Alumni Event in which past artists gathered to share where they’ve gone since participating in BRUSH and to meet this year’s artists.
More information about BRUSH Mural Fest is available at www.brushmuralfest.com and @brushmuralfest on Instagram.
