Mobile, AL — Mobile Arts Council is proud to announce the artists that have been selected for the inaugural MobTown Mural Festival, presented by Downtown Mobile Alliance, a two-day celebration of public art taking place in downtown Mobile on September 12–13, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The festival will bring mural artists and the community together for a live celebration of large-scale public art. Three full-scale mural sites will be transformed throughout downtown Mobile, including the Jimmy Buffett mural wall at the National Maritime Museum of the Gulf, the Mobile Mysticks mural wall at Cedar Street Social Club, and the west-facing wall of Innovation Portal.

In addition to the large-scale murals, five marine-grade 4’ x 4’ cubes will be painted live by artists in Cooper Riverside Park. The completed cubes will become additional pieces of public art that can be displayed throughout Mobile’s parks and public spaces.

Artists were invited to submit designs for either full-scale murals or the festival’s 4’ x 4’ cubes. The call for artists encouraged work inspired by the Gulf Coast and influenced by the unique culture, landscape, history, and lifestyle of Mobile.

“When we place value on our creatives and give them ownership in the city they call home, beautiful things are possible,” said Jessica Jones, Community Engagement Coordinator for Mobile Arts Council.

MobTown Mural Festival represents a new direction for Mobile Arts Council’s annual public art programming. After 13 consecutive years of The Throwdown, an event that challenged artists to compete for the coveted Throwdown title belt, Mobile Arts Council is shifting the focus from competition to collaboration and creation.

The artists selected for MobTown Mural Fest include Hannah Legg, Gary Brady, JD Swiger, Apollo, Jenyes, Rachel Schwemin, Brian Tan, David Rojas Pacheco, Greg Crimmins, and Christy LeGros’ Barton Art Class students. These artists were selected from more than 65 applications submitted for the inaugural festival.

“Mobile Arts Council believes that when a community embraces its artists, it has the opportunity to create the cityscape it wants to live in,” Jessica said. “Public art creates a sense of place, draws visitors, inspires residents, and helps build a community where creatives can thrive.”

MobTown Mural Festival is free and open to the public. Community members are encouraged to visit the mural sites throughout the weekend, watch the artists in action, and experience Mobile’s creative community in action.

Event sponsors include Downtown Mobile Alliance (Presenting Sponsor), The City of Mobile, The Ben May Charitable Trust, Sybil Smith Foundation, Mobile County Commission, Karen Carr and Michael Smith, UA Local 119 Plumbers and Pipefitters, Hieronymus CPA’s, 22nd State Bank, Bright Haven Therapy, Dr. Kristin Rager, Colin-Al Green Attorney at Law, Heroes Sports Bar & Grille, Sherwin-Williams, National Maritime Museum of the Gulf, Cedar Street Social Club, and Innovation Portal.

MobTown Mural Festival
September 12–13, 2026 | 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Downtown Mobile, Alabama
Free and open to the public

Mobile Arts Council is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1955. Their mission is to enrich the quality of life in the Mobile area through increasing accessibility to the arts and promoting a vibrant cultural community. Projects of the Mobile Arts Council focus on serving three components: community, education, and membership. For more info: https://link.edgepilot.com/x/kDdRQap2yBxklhCI1Inj30s?u=http://www.mobilearts.org/.