Explore Downtown Bellingham’s thriving arts community, all for free, through our community’s extensive public art collection. Whether it’s murals, outdoor sculptures, or temporary installations, scratch your arts and culture itch Downtown!
Gallery Alley
Gallery Alley transforms a downtown alley into an outdoor art experience. The space features rotating installations of painted reclaimed doors by local artists.
Eight artists are selected for each two-month series. Doors are displayed June–July and August–September, with each artist painting both sides for a mid-season flip and fresh viewing experience. Gallery Alley is featured on First Friday maps all summer long.
DBP provides the doors, hardware, and installation, and coordinates pickup or delivery with selected artists. Artists receive a $100 stipend for materials. Throughout the season, doors are auctioned to support the Downtown Bellingham Partnership, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
2026 Season Schedule
June/July
Application are accepted on a rolling basis.
Doors installed by June 5th
Doors flipped by July 2rd
August/September
Rolling application
Doors installed by August 6th
Doors flipped by September 4th
Self-Guided Mural Walking Tour
Enjoy the outdoor art scene Downtown with this handy, interactive map! Learn more about the murals and the artists by clicking on the respective map market.
Did we miss one? Or is there a new mural we haven’t added yet? Fill out the form below or email nathalie@downtownbellingham.com.
Downtown Bellingham Partnership Placemaking Projects
Placemaking through community-centered design projects is one of the four corners of the Main Street approach. The Downtown Bellingham Partnership is a Washington State Main Street Organization and has a proud history of designing public spaces for modern use and experiences. Below are a few examples.
Commercial Street Plaza 2.0
The Commercial Street parking garage, commonly referred to as the Parkade, is a public resource for locals and tourists alike to park in the heart of downtown and walk to explore dining, shopping, and culture. In 2023, the Downtown Bellingham Partnership identified the adjacent public plaza as an area ripe for a visual face lift. Through the funding support of the Mayor’s Small and Simple Grant and our partnerships with local breweries to make the BKIND Brews program possible, we funded the repainting of these surfaces.
Before
After
Rocket Canvas Project
The Downtown Bellingham Partnership, in collaboration with RAM Construction, sought proposals from local and regional artists for artwork to be installed on two separate exterior panels on the “Rocket Building” (306 W Holly Street) in the center of Downtown Bellingham’s Arts District.
Two artists were selected: Bobbie Torres and Ivan Collin. Read their artist statements below!
After photo courtesy of Trevor Andrews Photography.
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When I heard the plans for the new wall I began to think of subject matter that would best represent our ever-blooming community that innovates for the future while drawing inspiration from the past. The story of Salmon Woman and Her Children has inspired this design. The teaching of the symbiotic nature of humans and our environment through this story is as relevant today as it will be tomorrow and as it has been for countless tellings before. Amongst oysters, dogwood, and berries her children roam. The sun sets from her brow and washes over the children of the water given to land. From all the vibrant colors of this home certain shells form small worlds reflecting the beauty of a mixture such as we have. Raven feathers to salmon scales, this home gives flight to all. Our town and vessel, the city of subdued excitement, carries us onward with the knowledge of these gifts and the mindfulness of a future we help shape.
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The intention of this mural is to serve as a gentle reminder that, “We are one”. We may look, feel, and believe differently, but we share one global, interconnected body of water. The ocean covers a majority of our earth, and it does not judge, it just is. Emotions act like the ocean, they come in waves. It is not by coincidence that more than half of our body makeup is water. When we move in a flow state we don’t hold onto our mistakes, we let them go. By letting go, we can focus all of our energy on the next wave.
The primary goal of this project was to bring people together through art and collaboration. We love that the project encourages love, kindness, showcases regional landscapes, ignites hope, unity, and spirited celebration.
This is a community-based art project with help from volunteers, non-profit organizations, and community-driven stakeholders.
Do you have an idea for a similar project? Reach out to lindsey@downtownbellingham.com
