Muir Park Basketball Court Mural Case Study

December 28th, 2022

Objective

In an ongoing effort to increase community engagement in Midtown’s urban green spaces, Midtown Parks installed a basketball court mural at Muir Park with matching vinyl wrapped backboards, featuring complementary designs. This project enhances the aesthetic appeal of the park and celebrates the diverse history and culture of the surrounding neighborhood, including its roots in the 1960s Chicano Arts Movement.

Before and after installation of mural and backboard wraps:

Our Strategy

Midtown Parks engaged a three-artist team to create digital designs that were reflective of the neighborhood’s history. The artist team has close ties to the artist and activist group known as the Royal Chicano Air Force (RCAF), which was at the forefront of the Chicano Arts Movement of the 1960s in Sacramento. The artist team was led by Manuel Fernando Rios (artist, curator, and Associate Art Professor at Woodland Community College), who was mentored by the late Ricardo Favela, a founding member of the RCAF. The artist team also included Tomás Montoya and Amar Azucena Cid, both children of RCAF members. The team’s designs incorporate local landmarks such as the Tower Bridge and the Washington Neighborhood Center and pay homage to the past, present and future of Chicano art and culture.

The backboard designs pay homage to the past, present and future of Chicano art and culture & incorporate local landmarks.

The Results

Check out the courts in person at John Muir Children’s Park at 1515 C Street. Our mission at Midtown Parks is to increase health and community engagement by investing in our Midtown Parks, to help support projects like this donate here.