Snarling teeth, freaks in the shadows, going back in time. What do all of these things have in common? They are all featured in the multitude of magical murals featured in our beautiful City of Trees. Everyone knows about Freak Alley, but Boise has a rich art scene that can be found almost anywhere you walk in the streets. Whether it is the poster in front of my house advertising the “Mother is Coming” art show, or an intricate painting on the side of a building, it is undeniable that art in Boise is something that brings life to our city.

Here are some of my favorites:

Close to Boise High, this mural features beautiful flowers on a pleasing brick backdrop.

This mural has always been shrouded in mystery for me, a road leading to nowhere, and a chair looking over the night sky.

Looking over Downtown Boise, one of Boise’s largest murals captures the essence of Idaho’s outdoors.

Another great feature about Boise’s art scene are the boxes that line every street. Often people’s minds go to huge paintings or sculptures when they think of public art, but Boise does something a little different that brings a lot of life and community participation into the mundane aspects of the city. Through the Traffic Box Art Program, anyone can submit a piece of art to be put on one of these traffic boxes. Last year, the City of Boise offered $1000 to 12 artists selected by the community to create a piece that answered the prompt: “’How can water renewal and responsible resource management help us achieve greater equity, affordability and access?’”

Overall, the art scene in Boise, although sometimes taken for granted undeniably, adds a certain feeling of community to our city. Maybe next time you stroll through downtown, you can keep your eye out for the art that fills the streets.