Volunteer to help paint State Street ahead of Pedestrian Mall Experiment

Image credit: Design by Rahul Kamath

The City of Madison is conducting an experiment to turn the 400-600 blocks of State Street into a pedestrian mall this summer.

As we get ready to encourage people to #FlockToState, the City of Madison is inviting the community to leave their mark on State Street and help us decorate the area as part of a public painting event.

On Sunday, April 21, people of all ages are invited to volunteer and help a group of local Madison artists – Rahul Kamuth, Taylor McAda, Sharon Bjyrd, and Jessica Gutierrez -- paint four original 20-foot circle murals on State Street between Gorham Street and Hawthorne Court. The City is also looking for volunteers to help paint more than 150 whimsical Madison-themed stencils designed by another local Madison artist, Maeve Makielski.

There are plenty of fun opportunities for artists and non-artists alike. Volunteers can sign up for one of two painting shifts from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Noon to 3 p.m., or sign up to volunteer for both shifts.

The event is dependent on the weather. A rain date of Sunday, May 5 has been set as a backup.

Those interested in helping paint State Street are asked to register for free ahead of time to ensure there are enough supplies to go around.  

Members of the public are invited to stop by the area even if they aren’t painting to check out the process and share photos on social media with the hashtag #FlockToState.

Starting in early May, the 400-600 blocks of State Street will feature street art, new benches, planters, and other art elements. Once the pedestrian mall experiment is underway, the 400-600 blocks will be closed to traffic after 3 p.m. on weekdays and after 10 a.m. on weekends. More information about the State Street Pedestrian Experiment will be released in the coming weeks.