Alberta has an impressive amount of public art on display across its cities, national parks, and small towns. But none of these art collections are quite as impressive as the number of mural tours you can take across Alberta.
A mural tour of any town is great because you can do so quickly from your car or take your time on foot and bike. If you have a chance to even drive through some of these Alberta cities, then you can appreciate their incredible murals from afar. If you get the chance to walk around town, then you can get up close and truly appreciate the detail and smaller images within the big picture.
Stony Plain
You’ll want to tour the many murals of Stony Plain in Parkland County this summer, as the town is offering Horse & Wagon Mural Tours on select dates. The Wagons will cart you and up to 10 people around the town while you get to view all of the beautiful murals which decorate Stony Plain.
You can also visit on any day to tour all around on foot or bike to see 39 murals up close, with many clustered around 50th Ave and 50th Street.
Lacombe
When you consider how short a time Lacombe has had a mural program, it is impressive to find out that the town already has 36 murals! You can make a convenient loop around Lacombe, which has another claim to fame which complements the murals and serves as their inspiration: it has the highest number of restored Edwardian buildings in Alberta. There are numerous opportunities around Lacombe’s 50th Ave and 50th Street to learn about central Alberta’s rich history
Legal
There is a beautiful collection of murals in the north central town of Legal which pay homage to a huge variety of the area’s culture, arts, history, and French influence. You’ll have 38 pieces to explore from afar and up close while you move through Legal over the years. Many of the murals depict influential families or people from the area.
Medicine Hat
Medicine Hat sees new murals popping up each year, with the city now beautified by 15 different paintings. Some Medicine Hat Murals are abstract pieces, some offer a look into southern Alberta’s History, while others contain many themes to uncover and admire.
Medicine Hat continues to add to their mural collection with the annual Mural Fest, with the latest addition on the Beveridge Building.
High River
Explore High River enjoying southern Alberta history and culture with the town’s 15-piece mural tour. The massive paintings are centred around 1st Street and 3rd Ave and are a colourful look into Indigenous culture, the local arts scene, military history, and the ranch or farming industries. While you tour the murals, you’ll notice several other public pieces like sculptures.
Calgary
The Beltline Urban Murals Project works to add beauty to the central Calgary neighbourhood through an annual painting extravaganza! The month-long street art festival has featured a number of artists since its inception in 2017 and provides a fun way to celebrate Calgary’s arts and culture scene. This June (2022), the world’s tallest mural was painted on the side of the building at 123, 10 Ave SW by legendary German graffiti artist, DAIM, aka, Mirko Reisser.
Sylvan Lake
Take a break from the beach or the water to explore more into the town of Slave Lake. You will find public art on display around almost every corner including several murals which create beauty around each sidewalk and street. The murals include mosaics, portraits, landscapes, and several things which make Sylvan Lake unique.
Elk Point
The mural tour in Elk Point is nice and conveniently all located within one Mural Park. These are all from the creative mind of one artist as well, Billie Milholland, who sought to depict all sorts of Elk Point history. You can walk for about 100 ft through the park to explore the pieces which were inspired by locals and their own memories, stories, and photographs.