The BLKOUT Walls Mural Festival will return to Detroit for its biannual celebration of art, culture and community, running Sept. 4–13. This year’s event will feature 10 new large-scale murals throughout downtown Detroit, as well as installations at Pensole Lewis College, the city’s HBCU, in support of the Black Footwear Forum.
City Walls Detroit is the festival’s Platinum Sponsor for 2025. Gold Sponsors include Pensole Lewis College, the Knight Foundation and the Kresge Foundation. DAPCEP (Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program) joins as the Community Partner, continuing the festival’s mission to engage and educate youth.
The 2025 mural lineup includes 10 artists—five from Detroit and five from across the country—bringing a range of diverse voices and creative perspectives to the city’s visual landscape. In addition to live mural painting, a series of free, public artist talks will be held at Pensole Lewis College:
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“The Future of Art” – Sept. 9 at 7 p.m.
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“Women on the Walls” – Sept. 10 at 7 p.m.
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“The Art of Business” – Sept. 11 at 7 p.m.
The festival will culminate with the BLKOUT Walls Block Party on Sunday, Sept. 13, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Spirit Plaza. The event will include live music, food trucks, local vendors, and opportunities to meet the muralists.
“BLKOUT Walls is about more than murals—it’s about celebrating creativity, connecting communities and leaving a lasting mark on Detroit’s cultural landscape,” said Sydney G. James, co-founder of the festival.
“No other city in the world is more creative than Detroit,” said D’Wayne Edwards, president of Pensole Lewis College. “The mission and vision of BLKOUT Walls not only celebrates the creative culture, but is instrumental in defining it.”
The festival was founded by James of Detroit, Thomas “Detour” Evans of Denver and Max Sansing of Chicago as a response to the lack of compensation and racial diversity often seen in mural festivals nationwide. The first BLKOUT Walls Mural Festival debuted in summer 2021 in Detroit’s North End and New Center areas and produced nearly 20 murals.
Unlike many festivals, BLKOUT Walls pays each participating artist a fee for their work, along with lodging, meals and transportation. Seventy-five percent of the participating artists and event producers are Black and/or people of color, ensuring the event reflects the communities it serves and travels to.
For more information, visit www.blkoutwalls.com or contact blkoutwallsfest@labeltheagency.com
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