Kamloops North Shore and other areas may soon have the same artistic feel as the downtown core. Pictured are Zach Abney (left) and Jennilee Fraser, who completed this mural of Maceo Parker in downtown Kamloops last summer.

(SHELBY THEVENOT / iNFOnews.ca)

KAMLOOPS - A new initiative aims to make the process of putting up large-scale urban art a whole lot easier.

The streets of Kamloops will soon see more colour thanks to a new online catalogue of muralists being curated by the North Shore Business Improvement Association.

Jeremy Heighton, executive director for the North Shore Business Improvement Association, says that the project will connect local artists with businesses looking to beautify their buildings.

“Our primary goal is to create an attractive and interesting business scape so it's not all concrete buildings and cold, hard walls,” Heighton says. “As some of our businesses start to redevelop their properties and they start to beautify them, we can provide them with a list of muralists then it’ll streamline that process.”

Heighton said the idea for a muralist catalogue came when various business owners were asking about the process for putting up a mural, with many unsure of what steps to take, and how to find an artist.

“It’s sort of a block people for some people... ‘How do I get started? Who do I call? Where do I find a muralist?’”

Heighton says the catalogue will be an ongoing project, collecting submissions from artists who wish to bring their creativity to the streets and alleys of Kamloops. The announcement of the idea was made last night, and Heighton says there have already been four artists who have submitted portfolios.

Businesses wanting to put up a mural will have the opportunity to choose their favourite artists, compare their visions with the painters, and receive guidance on the process. According to Heighton, the process of putting up a mural requires approval from art societies within the city, and they must adhere to bylaws. The online catalogue will cover all bases to help business owners turn concrete into a canvas.

“As we have started talking about murals more, we're seeing more and more business owners starting to express an interest in the process,” Heighton says. “Our goal is to streamline that process and help business owners make a more intelligent decision.”

According to Heighton, the catalogue will be available on the North Shore Business Improvement Association website sometime this fall, if all goes well. The resource will be available to all members of the community.

Artists wishing to submit their work to the catalogue can do so by clicking here to email Jeremy Heighton.

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