How-To Guide:
Murals on Public Facilities
Across Hawaii, neighborhoods large and small are looking a little more colorful. Public murals, once only found on building walls, are now revealing themselves in new and innovative locations. Community groups and artists to paint government-owned facilities. These murals have the power to transform these blank spaces into vibrant community assets. They can also help neighborhoods feel more welcoming and walkable. While the end products—the works of public art—are always beautiful, their deeper value lies in the newfound conversations and connections.
Potential Spaces for Murals:
Traffic signal and utility boxes
Bus shelters
Sidewalk extensions, such as areas that front a marked crosswalk, wide curbside lane, and/or an adjacent full-time parking lane may be eligible for painting. These murals are best suited in the hatched roadway areas where excess road space is already delineated.
Basketball courts, restrooms, and other facilities found in public parks
Priority locations: Public spaces with high volumes of pedestrians and traffic, as well as locations with a history of crashes.
Key Steps:
Identify the appropriate location, artist(s), and needed support.
Identify and engage the appropriate agency that owns and manages the facility being proposed for the mural. Possible resources:
Review Hawaii land ownership maps
Contact your county planning department
If on Oahu, contact the Honolulu Complete Streets Program. Applicants should also review the Kapala Toolbox for design, materials, and implementation guidance.
Conduct community outreach and research to understand appropriate mural themes and styles.
Draft and finalize the mural design.
Receive the necessary approval and permits from the relevant agency.
Typically projects that impede traffic need approval from the county transportation department.
For murals occurring on Oahu, the designs are required to be approved by the Mayor’s Office on Culture and the Arts (MOCA). Some murals (over $2,500 in value) are also required to be approved by the Honolulu City Council.
Develop implementation and maintenance plan.
Install mural, ideally with the support of community volunteers
Design Considerations:
To reduce vandalism, artwork should have minimal negative space.
Spaces should be thoroughly cleaned, washed, and sanded before applying paint. Applying a primer prior to painting also helps extend the longevity of the mural.
Costs and Needed Resources:
Art supplies (paint, brushes, drop cloth, etc.)
Safety supplies (traffic cones, traffic safety vests, etc.)
Artist fees to design and implement murals
Time of applicant to undertake needed research, outreach, and approval, and permitting
Project documentation (photo/videography)
Examples of Estimated Costs:*
Utility Box: $300 to $500
Bus Shelter: $1,000 to $2,500
Sidewalk Extension: $5,000 to $15,000
Basketball Court: $10,000 to $20,000
*Costs are current as of early 2023-these estimates are to vary widely based on types of materials used, detail of mural design, expertise of artist, length of approval process, etc.
*For Honolulu bus stops, applicants may apply for the bus stop volunteer program. This application will be submitted to Honolulu Complete Streets to waive costs for materials that will instead be covered by DTS.
