Mural Tour: Explore the Arts in Manchester, NH
The arts are alive and well in Manchester, NH. Established, respected institutions, like the Currier Museum of Art, offer thoughtfully curated collections for the public to peruse. Galleries, like Art 3 Gallery, Mosaic Art Collective, and Saint Anselm College’s Alva de Mars Megan Chapel Art Center, display works by established and emerging artists. The Citywide Arts Festival, an annual Manchester tradition, celebrates the arts for about one week with music, classes, movies, etc. And murals are, well, everywhere! From concrete steps to the sides of buildings to alleys and more, beautiful works of art can be found throughout Manchester, NH. Start exploring with these six stops on your DIY mural tour.
In This Article
1. Hanover Street
Greetings from Manchester, located on Hanover Street, is a bold, eye-catching mural by local artist James Chase, who is the founder of Arts Build Community, an organization that builds connected, empowered communities through shared, arts-based experiences. Working with both the City of Manchester and Red Oak Apartments, whose apartment building the mural adorns, Chase received a grant and got to work.
“We were trying to reference a lot of the work in Manchester that was done prior while also signaling that this represents what’s going forward,” Chase says. “I drew inspiration from the surroundings and blueprints of the city streets.”
A rainbow of colors, from blue and orange to yellow and purple, come together to form this mural and its welcoming message.
2. Maple Street
For your next stop on this Manchester, NH, arts tour, head to Sheehan-Basquil Park on Maple Street, where a gorgeous mural adorns the Little League clubhouse. This mural’s creative, chaotic jumble of colors and shapes is a direct reflection of the community effort it took to bring it into existence. Lovingly crafted by students working with Positive Street Art, a Nashua, NH-based nonprofit, the mural is a nod to photos of multicultural festivals and Little Leagues from previous years. Over 50 community members came together to make the mural a reality.
*Local tip: If you’re visiting on a sunny day, hop over to the park’s splash pad to cool off!
3. Union Street
Painted behind the Boys & Girls Club on Union Street in Manchester, the whimsical mural called We Are All in the Same Boat was a collaborative project led by local artist Alex Ferror, who was inspired by the children who are members of the club. Using spray paint as tool of choice, Ferror incorporated multiple elements based on requests from the boys and girls.
“The mural is filled with tons of easter eggs,” Chase says. “Alex asked kids walking by what their favorite items were and would incorporate them into the mural.”
Two other murals adorn the same building, all three of which were completed as part of Arts Build Community’s Community Canvas Mural Program.
4. Dean Avenue
Cat Alley on Dean Avenue is a unique addition to the arts scene in Manchester, NH, as it consists of multiple vignettes, all with one thing in common: cats. From flying felines to cake-holding kittens, this small section of the city packs a big, artistic punch. It was reimagined and revitalized in 2022, and it’s been the cause of many a detour from unknowing passersby who’ve been delighted to discover it.
*Local tip: “Cat Alley is also next to Bookery, a book shop with a coffee shop inside of it,” Chase says.
Stop in for a quick browse, or caffeinate for the rest of your tour at Proba Cafe.
5. Arms Park
Make your way to Arms Park located in the heart of the Millyard in Manchester, NH, for another James Chase artistic creation – this time on a set of stairs. Located right on the water, these painted stairs, which feature Chase’s signature color palette, are perfect for enjoying views of the Merrimack River.
“All the colors are pulled from the local businesses that are in the historic district, their logos, and the pattern is pulled from the surrounding sidewalk,” Chase says. “The hexagons are part of the new technology from the biotech-heavy businesses.”
Education, Careers & Opportunity
Manchester, NH: How the Arts Impact Community
Creative works and collaborations help strengthen and grow the city.
6. Pine Street
Forever Emma Studios on Pine Street in Manchester is home to youth theater program Palace Youth Theatre and a beautiful mural that depicts young performers.
Created by artist Jyl Dittbenner, the mural is 120 feet wide and 20 feet tall, transforming the brick facade of the former church-turned-theater.
*Local tip: This mural is conveniently just around the corner from Annula’s Pizza & Deli, a small, family-owned pizza joint. Annula’s calzones are a must-try.
This article was sponsored by the Manchester Economic Development Office.