Paint CHQ
Chautauqua County Mural Festival
In partnership with local community members, Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC) and Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development (CCDPD) will bring large-scale murals to several of our communities! Each town will have a unique project in a location that aligns with the strategy and goals of the festival. The goals and purpose of this type of artwork implementation include highlighting community assets, embracing the value of public art investment, bringing visitors to your community, encouraging economic growth, building a foundation for more public art investment, and improving quality of place. This new public art will foster community pride and encourage economic revitalization.
Mural festivals involve the implementation of a group of murals in a condensed time frame. All of the Paint CHQ murals will be located in different towns within Chautauqua County, and the murals will be installed simultaneously. The festival atmosphere draws media attention and outside visitors while inviting residents to be part of the public art creation. The 2025 Paint CHQ Mural Festival culminated with a series of community events on September 12, 13, and 20th (with an additional dedication event planned for Dunkirk at a date and time TBD).
Funding for the 2025 Paint CHQ mural project was allotted through CCPEG’s placemaking initiative, and additional funding has come from grant funding through New York State Council on the Arts, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Arts Services Inc., Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, Lake Shore Savings, and the United Arts Appeal of Chautauqua County.
THE 2025 MURALS
WESTFIELD MURAL
Grace & Abe’s Westfield, 14 N. Portage St.
This mural celebrates the region’s heritage, natural beauty, and community pride. Hands at each end symbolize generations of labor and dedication, while native flora and grapevines reflect the area’s agricultural legacy. Budding and blooming flowers suggest growth and renewal. Historic imagery—like a train and carriage—blends with modern harvesting scenes, creating a quilt-like narrative that honors both tradition and progress. Colorful intersecting streaks nod to the town’s original name, Crossroads, and shades of blue highlight the importance of local waterways. Together, these elements form a bold, expressive portrait of a community rooted in history, thriving today, and looking ahead with pride.
Artist: Dom Laporte of DRIFT Mural Co.
SHERMAN MURAL
Cornerstone Restaurant, 104 E. Main St.
The West Wall highlights three of New York State’s most iconic animals—a White-tailed Deer, Bald Eagle, and Great Blue Heron—framed by a vivid sunset and rainbow. Songbirds, including the American Robin, Eastern Meadowlark, and Yellow Tanager, add harmony and lightness, balancing strength with playfulness. Around the corner, a Black Bear rests among wildflowers, embodying peaceful power, while a Northern Leopard Frog and American Toad share a whimsical tea moment. Flowing into water, wildflowers transition to aquatic life—featuring the Blackchin Shiner and Rainbow Darter—symbolizing the interconnected beauty of the region’s land and waterways.
Artist: Emily Ding and Justin Saurez
FALCONER MURAL
State Lanes, 16 E. Main St.
On the left side of the wall is a historic drawing of the community of Falconer, a place that is proud of its long history of industry and innovation. A falcon bursts through a sky of painted clouds, carrying the name of Falconer across the wall like a living emblem. It’s not just a bird; it’s the village in motion: bold, focused, and rising. On its wings, a dreamlike village sits on the back of the majestic bird, representing community, the community’s future, and imagination. This mural transforms the wall into a moment of lift-off; a reminder that even small villages can fly high when rooted in pride and possibility.
Artist: Mandi Caskey, aka “Miss Birdy”
Note: The Dunkirk Mural was delayed in being painted, but is anticipated to be completed by early October. A formal ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony will take place at a date and time TBD.
DUNKIRK MURAL
The Coburn Block, 123 Central Ave.
Empathy and partnership are at the heart of this mural, which honors the sister-city bond between Dunkirk, France and Dunkirk, NY. The two animals in the boat symbolize these communities, different yet united by a shared history. In the aftermath of World War II, the people of Dunkirk, NY sent aid overseas, a story captured in The New York Times Magazine in 1947 as “a tale of two cities…at its heart lies mankind’s hope for peace.” Even Eleanor Roosevelt praised Dunkirk’s generosity in her column My Day, urging others to follow its example. The mural depicts the characters on a shared journey—out at sea, together in spirit—celebrating compassion across borders and honoring a defining moment in Dunkirk’s heritage.
Artist: Alain Welter
MEET THE 2025 MURALISTS
LOCALS CAN GET INVOLVED!
Do you want to get more involved? CREDC and the CCDPD are evaluating the community’s interest in public art, and we are encouraging Chautauqua County residents to participate in this short anonymous survey. See the survey link below.
OPEN ARTIST CALL!
CREDC, the CCDPD, and local steering committees are seeking qualified artists for five large-scale mural projects. The PaintCHQ mural festival will be held in Chautauqua County, NY from September 7 – September 13, 2025 . Local and regional artists are strongly encouraged to apply for this project. The deadline for artists to apply is March 16, 2025. Please click the link below to apply and learn more.
PAINT CHQ APPRENTICE OPPORTUNITY!
Local artists who are interested in learning more about how to install a mural may apply to participate in the Paint CHQ Mural Apprentice Program. Artists may apply for both the RFQ and the apprentice program. The Paint CHQ Mural Apprentice Program will offer aspiring artists an opportunity to garner valuable experience installing large-scale murals. This is an excellent resume builder for an aspiring muralist! Apprentices will be paired with experienced muralists and asked to help assist in the mural installation during the mural festival. Apprentices may learn how to scale a design to fit a building, learn about different mediums, and expand their artist-network! The deadline for apprentices to apply is June 1, 2025. Please click the link below to apply and learn more.
Eligibility:
- Applicant must be 18 or older, or have parental permission
- Applicant must reside in Chautauqua County, NY
- Applicant MUST be able to volunteer some hours to this apprentice program during Paint CHQ mural festival: September 7 – September 13, 2025