Rutland is known for a lot of things含羞草研究社攊ncredible restaurants, fun events and parks.

But now the Kelowna neighbourhood will also be known for its incredible murals and wall art, with a new event planned in August to show off the new additions.

The Uptown Rutland Business Association executive director Laurel D含羞草研究社橝ndrea is especially proud of this undertaking.

D含羞草研究社橝ndrea wanted to do something different to beautify the community, she said, beyond the planter and the banner initiatives.

She wanted to go bigger.

含羞草研究社淲e wanted to do something kind of unique to Rutland and we wanted to be first instead of last, for a change,含羞草研究社� she said.

READ MORE: Uptown Rutland kicks off-street art project

READ MORE: Taste Rutland含羞草研究社檚 best at 4th Grub Crawl in Kelowna

After being inspired by street art at business conferences and taking inspiration from cities like Montreal and Vancouver, D含羞草研究社橝ndrea knew this was something that would work well in Rutland, to show off what the community is all about.

URBA appointed artist David Doody as a project manager with a plan to complete another two to five murals in August.

Once complete含羞草研究社攐r at least nearing completion含羞草研究社擴RBA will host an event, scheduled for Aug. 23, to show off the new murals.

Along with some artists still working on-site applying the final touches to their murals, there will be street vendors, food trucks, a sidewalk sale and more.

The inaugural festival will be a pretty laid back affair, D含羞草研究社橝ndrea said, but offer a great way to connect the business community with the greater Rutland area.

含羞草研究社淲e reached out to some of the businesses and said, 含羞草研究社楬ere含羞草研究社檚 the deal. We want to paint some of your walls, you don含羞草研究社檛 really get a say and you just have to trust us,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社� D含羞草研究社橝ndrea said.

No corporate colours or branding will be painted, as that would be equivalent to hanging a billboard 含羞草研究社渁nd that will cost you $800,000,含羞草研究社� she noted.

A countrywide artist call-out has been made and URBA aims to find artists who have roots in Rutland, D含羞草研究社橝ndrea said.

Jeremy Shantz, a Montreal-based artist, completed the first mural this spring.

He spent his youth in the Rutland area where he took his schooling. He studied classical painting and sculpting at UBC Okanagan and took film studies at Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver before moving to Montreal.

Another artist has been hired to paint a mural is also from the Rutland area, but now she lives in the Lower Mainland.

READ MORE: 38M-plus litres of water saved annually with Kelowna partnerships

The project is being funded through grants, URBA含羞草研究社檚 budget and the support and donations from local businesses, including the paint.

What will the murals be of? D含羞草研究社橝ndrea said URBA will connect with the community to spark inspiration for mural ideas representative of the Rutland.

D含羞草研究社橝ndrea said for her the key theme is 含羞草研究社渃ommunity.含羞草研究社�

Caitlin.clow@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .