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Paint the City

Paint the City is a two-week, youth-centered community mural initiative in Appleton, Wisconsin that advances youth empowerment, placemaking, and community engagement through large-scale public art.

Paint the City is a summer mural project that brings Appleton Area School District students, professional artists, educators, and community members together to transform exterior walls on Appleton-area businesses and organizations through the power of art.

Held every summer in August, the project brings together high school students from across the Appleton Area School District to work alongside professional mural artist Irineo (Neo) E. Medina and AASD teachers. Over the course of the project, students collaborate to create a large-scale mural that becomes a lasting part of the Appleton community.

At the heart of Paint the City is a commitment to inclusion, belonging, and youth-led change. The project creates opportunities for students, particularly those who may not otherwise have access to high-impact arts experiences, to develop their voice and contribute to their community in meaningful ways.

Students gain hands-on experience in the arts while developing skills in creativity, teamwork, communication, project planning, and collaboration. Students receive elective art credit and a stipend for successful completion of the program, helping reduce barriers to participation and supporting students who may otherwise need to work during the summer.

The project also brings community leaders, artists, educators, and other community members together with students throughout the painting process. Community members are welcome to visit the mural site during the project to see students at work and watch their vision take shape. These interactions provide opportunities to build relationships, challenge assumptions, and see young people as artists, leaders, and contributors to their community.

Paint the City is more than a mural. It gives students a platform to express themselves, build confidence and career-ready skills, and have a visible impact on the community they call home.

Want to take a mural tour?

  • 2026: On the exterior of Spats (733 W College Ave, Appleton)
  • 2025: Fox Commons tunnel (north side of 10 E College Ave, Appleton)
  • 2024: Kimball Alley tunnel near the downtown Appleton YMCA (behind 218 E Lawrence Street, Appleton)
  • 2023: Boys and Girls Club in Appleton (160 S Badger Ave, Appleton)
  • 2022: Side of Jersey Bagel & Deli (2641 N Oneida St, Appleton)
Two people stand near a colorful mural on a brick building, with a street and a sign for %22SIPATTS FINE FOOD & SPIRITS%22 in the background.
A group of people stand in front of a colorful mural of hands on a building, with a sign for %22SIPATS FINE FOOD & SPIRITS%22 visible in the background.
A collection of paintbrushes rests on a blue storage bin in the foreground, while artists work on a mural in the background.
Three people stand on a lift in front of a colorful, unfinished mural on a brick wall.
A vibrant mural of two large sneakers with green and orange accents stands out against a background of purple and pink abstract shapes and a pale yellow wall.
A vibrant mural of diverse faces covers the side of a building, with a street and fence in the foreground.
A vibrant mural of diverse faces covers the side of a building, with a parking lot in the foreground.
A colorful mural features a person's legs and feet wearing stylish sneakers on a skateboard in the foreground, with abstract shapes and a hint of green in the background.
A vibrant mural of colorful flowers and the word %22LOVE%22 is painted on a building wall, with a wet, reflective ground in the foreground.
A vibrant mural of a cassette tape with %22PAINT THE CITY VOL. 4%22 written on it dominates the foreground, set against a background of colorful abstract shapes and clouds.
Several people are painting a large floral mural on a brick wall, with ladders and a scissor lift in the foreground.
A vibrant mural of a trumpet player adorns the pink brick wall in the foreground, while the background reveals a dimly lit tunnel with a shopping cart.

Supporters for this program have included: