The Ultimate Guide to Public Murals: Economic & Community Impact
Last Updated: 2/18/2025
This is the ultimate guide to how public murals boost local economies, attract visitors, and strengthen city branding.
Inside, you’ll learn how businesses and city leaders can leverage murals to create lasting impact—backed by real-world data and case studies. (And we’ll break down strategies that most cities overlook.)
But here’s something most people don’t realize:
Some of the biggest opportunities for public murals aren’t on storefronts or community walls… they’re on parking decks.
These massive, high-visibility structures are sitting untapped in cities everywhere. And when used correctly, they can become landmarks that drive foot traffic, tourism, and economic growth.
Let’s dive in.
A well-placed, high-impact mural can:
✔ Turn a dull parking structure into a recognizable landmark
✔ Draw foot traffic that spills into local businesses
✔ Provide a permanent, cost-effective marketing tool for the city
And Woodstock, GA is leading the way.
Quick Fact: Areas with public murals often see up to a 20% increase in local commerce—people are more likely to stick around, explore, and spend.
Woodstock, Georgia, is thinking differently.
Instead of treating their new 635-car, six-level parking deck as just another concrete structure, they’re turning it into a destination.
Their vision?
✅ Transform an overlooked space into a public landmark
✅ Create a social media hotspot for visitors
✅ Support local businesses by increasing visibility
And here’s where it gets interesting:
This isn’t just an aesthetic upgrade. It’s a strategic move to:
✔ Reinforce Woodstock’s identity through locally inspired artwork
✔ Align with the city’s long-term revitalization goals
✔ Establish Woodstock as a leader in Metro Atlanta’s public art movement
This project isn’t an isolated effort—it’s part of a growing trend in urban planning.
Because across the country, cities are realizing the true power of murals.
At this point, you might be thinking:
“Okay, murals make parking decks look better. But do they actually generate real economic value?”
Short answer: Yes.
Murals don’t just attract eyeballs—they attract business, tourism, and engagement.
This is exactly what Woodstock is doing—using the Big Beautiful Deck mural to:
✔ Reinforce its outdoor and agricultural culture (bass fish & farmer’s market themes).
✔ Establish itself as a public art hub in Metro Atlanta.
✔ Create a long-term cultural asset that benefits local businesses.
And this is just the beginning.
Woodstock’s project is more than just a quick facelift. By designing a mural that represents the city’s energy and heritage, they’re weaving artistic identity into a functional space.
Imagine a visitor driving into town for the first time:
This isn’t just happening in Woodstock. Cities around the world have used public art to completely transform struggling neighborhoods, attract investment, and put once-overlooked areas on the map.
In the next chapter, we’ll explore how murals have revitalized entire business districts, skyrocketed tourism, and driven millions of dollars in local economic impact.
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Public art isn’t a recent trend—but its role in revitalizing entire neighborhoods has only grown stronger in the last few decades.
Here are three cities that used murals to reshape their image, increase foot traffic, and bring in new business.
📍 Revitalized Neighborhoods & Increased Tourism
🔹 Before → High vacancy rates, little street activity.
🔹 After → 4,000+ murals turned Philadelphia into a national arts destination.
🎯 Economic Impact:
✔ The Mural Arts Program generates $79 million in annual economic activity.
✔ Murals attract millions of tourists per year, directly benefiting local businesses.
📌 Takeaway: Investing in murals can create a permanent economic engine for cities.
📍 From Run-Down Warehouses to a Global Arts Destination
🔹 Before → Abandoned industrial area, no cultural draw.
🔹 After → A world-famous arts district with millions of annual visitors.
🎯 Economic Impact:
✔ Foot traffic exploded to 3M+ visitors per year.
✔ Property values jumped over 200% in a decade.
✔ Bars, restaurants, and retail shops thrived from the influx of visitors.
📌 Takeaway: Public murals can turn an undesirable area into a top-tier destination.
📍 A Forgotten Neighborhood Reborn Through Street Art
🔹 Before → Underdeveloped, few businesses, minimal tourism.
🔹 After → Became a cultural and economic hub through street art.
🎯 Economic Impact:
✔ Businesses saw higher foot traffic & customer retention.
✔ Creative industries flourished, with tech startups and galleries moving in.
✔ Property values rose sharply, attracting further investment.
📌 Takeaway: Murals don’t just bring in tourists—they make a city more attractive for business owners and investors.
Woodstock isn’t the first city in Georgia to use murals as a tool for growth and revitalization.
Here’s how public art has already reshaped Metro Atlanta’s cultural and economic landscape.
📌 What this means for Woodstock:
The Big Beautiful Deck mural isn’t just about making the city look better—it’s part of a movement that has already worked across Atlanta and other major cities.
So how does Woodstock’s Big Beautiful Deck mural fit into this larger trend?
📌 1. More Than Just an Art Piece—It’s a Branding Tool
Unlike a stand-alone mural, this project is tied directly to Woodstock’s identity.
📌 2. Designed for Business Growth
By integrating local themes (fishing & farming), it supports:
✔ Woodstock’s outdoor tourism.
✔ The city’s farm-to-table movement.
✔ Downtown business visibility.
📌 3. Built for Engagement & Longevity
Thinking about a custom mural for your business or city?
Let’s talk about making it happen.
Most people think murals start with an artist sketching ideas.
That’s wrong.
A truly effective public mural starts with a question:
“What do we want this mural to accomplish?”
For Woodstock’s parking deck, the goals were clear:
📌 1. Create a Local Landmark
🏙️ It needed to be recognizable and directly tied to Woodstock’s identity.
📌 2. Boost Foot Traffic Downtown
🚶 The artwork should attract visitors and encourage them to explore local businesses.
📌 3. Reflect the City’s Outdoor & Agricultural Economy
🌿 The mural should feature elements tied to Woodstock’s culture—fishing, farmers’ markets, and nature.
📌 4. Generate Social Media Engagement
📸 The design should be eye-catching and interactive, making it a natural photo opportunity.
💡 Why This Matters:
Cities that treat murals as marketing assets (not just decoration) see the biggest long-term impact.
A mural’s success isn’t just about how it looks—it’s about where it’s placed and how people interact with it.
✔ Size & Scale Matter
🏢 Brianna’s contributions to The Big Beautiful Deck mural were designed to be massive, ensuring they stand out even from a distance.
✔ Themed Around Recognizable Elements
🐟 The Bass Fish Mural connects to Woodstock’s fishing culture—instantly recognizable for locals.
🍯 The Farmers’ Market Mural highlights fresh produce, honey, and agriculture, reinforcing the city’s brand.
✔ Color Contrast for Maximum Visibility
🎨 Murals need strong contrast & bold colors so they don’t fade into the background—especially on a parking deck.
✔ Positioned for Social Media & Foot Traffic
📸 The murals are placed in a high-traffic area, so visitors naturally stop, take photos, and share it online.
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💡 Fact: Murals are more impactful when people feel connected to them.
That’s why the best mural projects engage the local community before, during, and after the painting process.
📌 1. Gather Input Early
👥 Let the community help shape the design. When people have a say, they feel ownership over the final piece.
📌 2. Host Live Painting Events
🎨 Invite locals to watch the process unfold—this builds excitement and local media coverage.
📌 3. Use the Mural for Business & City Branding
🏙️ Once completed, murals should be actively promoted—on city websites, in tourism materials, and through business partnerships.
👉 Example: In Denver’s RiNo District, businesses near murals partnered with artists to create branded merchandise featuring the mural designs.
📌 4. Plan for Longevity
🛠️ Murals need protective coatings to withstand weather and maintain vibrancy for years.
📌 5. Keep the Momentum Going
💡 One mural should lead to more. Cities that integrate public art into their development plans see ongoing economic benefits.
The Woodstock parking deck murals weren’t just painted to look nice—they were planned to be a long-term marketing and cultural asset for the city.
🎯 Designed with Woodstock’s identity in mind → Every mural element reinforces fishing, agriculture, and local business culture.
🎯 Painted with high-contrast colors → Ensuring maximum visibility for pedestrians and social media photos.
🎯 Built to last → Protected against weather & fading, keeping the investment valuable for years.
🎯 Positioned in a high-foot-traffic area → Making it a natural stop for visitors and locals alike.
💡 Key Takeaway:
Murals that are strategically planned—rather than just painted—provide lasting economic, social, and branding benefits.
Public murals win on social media because they have built-in advantages:
📌 1. They’re visually striking
🎨 Murals are high-contrast, bold, and designed to stand out.
👀 People naturally stop, look, and take photos—just like a perfect ad.
📌 2. They’re interactive
📸 Murals invite people to pose, engage, and participate.
📢 That means organic promotion with every visitor who shares their experience.
📌 3. They create a sense of place
📍 Tourists seek out murals as must-visit spots in a city.
🛍️ Local businesses get more foot traffic when murals become attractions.
💡 Example: Austin’s “I Love You So Much” Mural
📌 Takeaway: Murals don’t just attract visitors—they attract online visibility.
Most businesses aren’t taking full advantage of public murals near them.
📌 Here’s how to turn a mural into a marketing tool:
✅ Encourage customers to tag your location.
📢 A simple sign like “Take a photo here & tag us!” can increase engagement.
✅ Feature the mural in promotions.
📢 Seasonal campaigns, limited-time offers, or themed product launches can tie into mural imagery.
✅ Host mural-centric events.
📢 A mural unveiling, art walk, or live painting event can boost foot traffic.
💡 Example: Chicago’s “Flamingo Rum Club” Mural
📌 Takeaway: The businesses that actively promote murals see the biggest returns.
For cities, murals are free tourism marketing.
📌 How to make a mural work as a tourism asset:
✅ Feature murals in city guides.
📢 Visitors will seek out the murals, naturally exploring local businesses along the way.
✅ Encourage social media contests.
📢 Cities can run campaigns like “Best Mural Photo of the Month” to generate engagement.
✅ Create a mural trail or walking tour.
📢 A self-guided mural tour can keep visitors exploring a city longer.
💡 Example: Nashville’s “What Lifts You” Mural
📌 Takeaway: Murals aren’t just art—they’re permanent tourism campaigns.
Brianna’s murals for the Big Beautiful Deck mural project weren’t just designed to look good in person—they were created to be a social media magnet.
✔ High-contrast, bold colors → Ensures it pops in photos.
✔ Iconic, recognizable imagery → Woodstock’s bass fish & farmers’ market theme reinforce local branding.
✔ Strategic placement → High foot traffic = more opportunities for social sharing.
✔ Easy for businesses to tie into → Local cafes & shops can leverage mural-related promotions.
📌 Why This Works:
Murals that are planned with social media in mind see higher long-term engagement.
📌 As covered in Chapter 2, murals play a key role in urban revitalization. But the cities that see long-term benefits don’t just install murals and walk away—they make them part of their urban strategy.
📢 Murals that fade too quickly lose their value.
✔ Use UV-resistant paint to prevent color loss.
✔ Apply anti-graffiti coatings in high-risk areas.
✔ Establish a mural maintenance budget to cover touch-ups.
💡 Example: The Philadelphia Mural Arts Program
📌 Why this matters: A faded or damaged mural stops being an asset and becomes an eyesore.
A mural’s impact isn’t just in its visuals—it’s in how often people engage with it.
✔ Add murals to city tourism guides & maps.
✔ Create walking tours featuring local murals.
✔ Host seasonal events near murals to keep foot traffic high.
💡 Example: The Atlanta BeltLine Murals
📌 Why this matters: A mural that’s included in a city’s tourism strategy stays relevant long after it’s painted.
📌 Back in Chapter 4, we covered how murals naturally generate social media engagement. But businesses that actively incorporate murals into their brand strategy get the biggest returns.
✔ Feature mural imagery on packaging, menus, and signage.
✔ Use the mural in ads, website content, and promotional materials.
✔ Sell mural-inspired merchandise (t-shirts, posters, tote bags).
💡 Example: Squidly Store Branded Merchandise
📌 Why this matters: A business with a recognizable mural gains long-term brand recognition.
Instead of just letting people take photos, turn that engagement into marketing.
✔ Offer discounts for customers who tag the business in mural photos.
✔ Host events or product launches near the mural to draw foot traffic.
✔ Work with local influencers to feature the mural in promotions.
💡 Example: The Pink Wall, Los Angeles
📌 Why this matters: A business that actively ties into the mural gets ongoing exposure.
Most murals lose their impact not because they stop being interesting, but because cities and businesses stop treating them like assets.
The murals that generate the biggest returns:
✔ Are maintained to stay visually striking.
✔ Are actively promoted by cities as part of tourism efforts.
✔ Are used by businesses in branding, marketing, and promotions.
📌 Cities that treat murals as investments—not just art—see the biggest returns.
But funding and execution require a clear strategy.
✔ Apply for state & federal arts grants → Many cities fund murals through National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grants or state cultural programs.
✔ Partner with local businesses → Offer sponsorship opportunities in exchange for brand placement or event tie-ins.
✔ Use revitalization funds → Murals strengthen downtown redevelopment projects, making them eligible for economic development grants.
💡 Example: The Chicago Mural Registry
📌 Why this matters: Cities that actively support mural funding see more tourism, business engagement, and community pride.
📌 Public art shouldn’t be an afterthought—it should be part of urban planning.
✔ Make murals part of zoning incentives → Offer tax breaks to developers who integrate public art into their projects.
✔ Designate mural districts → Cities like Philadelphia & Miami have entire neighborhoods dedicated to public art.
✔ Include murals in tourism marketing → Feature them on visitor guides, city websites, and cultural attraction lists.
💡 Example: Atlanta BeltLine Murals
📌 Why this matters: When murals are built into long-term city plans, they receive better funding, maintenance, and visibility.
📌 Murals are most effective when businesses don’t just passively benefit—but actively collaborate with artists and city planners to maximize exposure.
Many businesses rely on murals for branding and engagement, but the ones that see the highest return are those that build relationships with muralists, integrate the artwork into their marketing, and tie the mural into larger city initiatives.
Here’s how businesses can go beyond the basics and create a winning public art collaboration:
Most businesses treat murals as a “one-and-done” marketing tool. But ongoing relationships with muralists can lead to long-term promotional opportunities.
🔹 Commission Exclusive Art – Instead of just a wall mural, businesses can work with artists to create limited-edition prints, digital designs, or interactive murals that evolve over time.
🔹 Offer a Dedicated Space – Brands that regularly collaborate with muralists (e.g., breweries, coffee shops) can set up rotating mural spaces that showcase new artwork throughout the year.
🔹 Host Live Art Events – Businesses can sponsor mural unveiling events, live painting sessions, or meet-the-artist Q&As to build more community engagement.
📌 Example: Creature Comforts Brewery, Athens, GA
Creature Comforts Brewery actively supports local artists through their Artist of the Month Series, showcasing different creatives inside the brewery.
This approach not only enhances the visual appeal of the space but also strengthens the brewery’s reputation as a community-driven business that invests in the local creative scene.
Businesses located near high-profile mural districts or public art trails can capitalize on built-in foot traffic by aligning with city-led marketing initiatives.
✔ Get listed in city mural directories. Many cities offer walking tours and mural maps—getting your business featured increases visibility.
✔ Participate in mural-driven city events. Murals often become backdrops for festivals, art walks, and public gatherings—businesses that align their promotions with these events can drive more traffic.
✔ Partner with tourism boards. Some cities offer grants or cross-promotions for businesses near public art landmarks.
📌 Example: Businesses along the Atlanta BeltLine murals saw a significant increase in revenue after becoming key stops on the city’s mural tour—encouraging visitors to shop, dine, and explore the area.
📌 Public art is strongest when everyone involved understands their role.
✔ Fair pay → Murals are large-scale, time-intensive projects—compensation should reflect that.
✔ A clear project scope → Set objectives without restricting creative direction.
✔ Wall preparation & permissions → Handle priming, repairs, and permitting before the artist starts.
💡 Example: Babe Walls Chamblee
📌 Why this matters: When artists have the right resources, mural quality and long-term impact increase.
Cities, businesses, and artists all have a role in making public murals successful.
✔ Cities → Fund murals, maintain them, and make them part of urban planning.
✔ Businesses → Use murals strategically for branding, marketing, and customer engagement.
✔ Artists → Need proper resources, creative freedom, and ongoing visibility for their work.
🚀 When murals are planned with long-term strategy in mind, they become high-ROI assets for cities and businesses alike.
We’ve covered everything—from the economic power of murals to their role in revitalizing communities, boosting local businesses, and shaping city identity.
Now it’s time to turn insight into action.
✅ Are you a city leader looking to attract more visitors and businesses?
✅ Do you own a business and want to stand out with a custom mural?
✅ Are you an artist looking for strategies to collaborate on large-scale projects?
Wherever you fit in, one thing is clear: Public murals are one of the highest-ROI investments a city or business can make.
👉 Want to bring a mural to your space?
