Public Art
Wander through the neighborhood and discover tiny art happenings, large-scale murals and pops of neon color and light. From works by nationally celebrated visual artists like Esteban del Valle and HENSE, to local heroes like Carl Medley III and Hannah Kirkpatrick, to the world-renowned Chrysler Museum of Art, come see the new energy of Norfolk on display.
Happier Times
Brightly colored fish swim around the first floor of 801 Granby Street in the OnieTonie trademark style by Troy Summerell, a featured artist in both the NEON and ViBe Districts. Based in Virginia Beach OnieTonie™ Designs takes inspiration from surfing the world’s oceans, original hand-painted designs featured on murals, clothing, coloring pages, stickers and countless … Happier Times
View PostOpen Graffiti Wall
Long-time Norfolk tattoo shop Fuzion Ink on Granby Street started a legal graffiti wall in Magazine Lane in 2015. The alley behind the tattoo shop had yet to become the art-filled destination it is today, but their gesture opened up the site to many unknown artists looking for a canvas. As a legitimate site for … Open Graffiti Wall
View PostKaiya With Finch
After a local donor saw Richmond muralist Nils Westergard’s work he commissioned the artist to create a work for Norfolk’s then budding arts district. It was one of the first to grace Magazine Lane. Westergard has gone on to paint dozens of murals across the US and abroad.
View PostRazzle Dazzle
One of the first murals in the NEON District, Nick Kuszyk’s bright colors and patterns are now a Norfolk icon, taking inspiration from dazzle patterns used to camouflage battleships during World War I.
View PostMr. Frog
Sam Hundley, a former illustrator and designer for The Virginian-Pilot, is a master of art using found objects, and Mr. Frog is no exception. The metal sculpture was refreshed and reinstalled on its lily pad in 2021.
View PostPlot Billboard
Portsmouth native and graffiti artist Wallace Berkley Gibbs III, aka Berk, created this artwork at the Plot on a billboard left by Zedd’s Auction House. The mural was painted over as a part of Cementiscope, a concrete mixer and kaleidoscope combination that projects light onto the billboard.
View PostPublic Art Program
Since the birth of the NEON District, new murals and sculpture projects have multiplied, through both top down and grassroots efforts. The combination creates an inclusive, welcoming arts community with a range of talents and styles. The NEON District's public art grant program supports individual artists and property owners seeking designs.
ExploreArts Archive
A number of amazing projects have graced the walls and galleries in the NEON District over the years. Some were temporary, some faded away gracefully and some rotate out over the years. Walk down memory lane with us.
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