Value of street art recognized and celebrated in Albuquerque

• The myriad displays showcase the talent of local artists as well as those drawn to the high desert city

Albuquerque is quickly joining the ranks of cities with a collection of world class murals, or street art.

Spanning across walls, gracing the sides of buildings and beautifying streets throughout this southwestern city; the colorful displays of street art tell the story of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Great public interest worldwide is being focused on this often-misunderstood art form, and Albuquerque has an impressive collection to rival many larger cities. The myriad displays showcase the talent of local artists as well as those drawn to the high desert city.

But until now, this stunning artwork had never been cataloged. Even locals who are interested in murals weren’t aware that many of these works of art existed or where they were located.

The inspiration for the mural map venture began with a visit to Argentina by local business owner, Sandy Hill of Studio Hill Design. After taking a mural tour in Buenos Aires with graffitmundo, Hill came home not only inspired, but put her vision to work and launched MurosABQ.com, the only website in New Mexico which captures, catalogs and maps murals across Albuquerque.

Hill saw the opportunity to build a useful resource to get visibility for Albuquerque and to promote this local treasure to visitors and locals alike. And she embarked on the project privately without outside funding.

“Murals and street art are becoming a badge of pride for cities worldwide and are a treasure to be enjoyed by both locals and visitors alike.," Hill said. "Albuquerque is an art-filled city, and street art is such an authentic reflection of our heart, soul and people. These pieces deserve our attention.”

The site MurosABQ.com, using muros, a Spanish term for “walls,” includes an image, mural description, location and artist’s bio for most of Albuquerque’s murals. The site will be continually updated and Hill welcomes additional mural suggestions from the community. She also welcomes funding to help support the ongoing effort.

Maddox & Co. and Garcia Automotive Group stepped up to help fund the ambitious effort. Information and support for the website were provided by Downtown Albuquerque Arts & Cultural District, City of Albuquerque Public Art, 516 ARTS, Warehouse 508, Working Classroom, and "a biz by bre."

Future plans for MurosABQ.com include ABQ Trolley mural tours, walking and biking tours, a self-guided tour app and a physical gallery to house artwork by the mural artists to help support Albuquerque’s creative community.