birminghamal.gov
The City of Birmingham — in partnership with local artists, cultural stewards, and community stakeholders — will unveil the Smithfield Public Art Walk, a vibrant, walkable outdoor gallery celebrating the neighborhood’s past, present, and future on Saturday, July 26.
Spanning key corridors in Smithfield, the Art Walk will feature large-scale murals, storytelling installations, sidewalk poetry, and augmented reality experiences that immerse visitors in the spirit and stories of the historic community. The event is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free to the public.
“Smithfield has always been a canvas of courage,” said Mayor Randall L. Woodfin. “This Art Walk will uplift its beauty and brilliance for all to see.”
This initiative is a collaboration between the City of Birmingham’s Departments of Community Development and Innovation and Economic Opportunity, Create Birmingham, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, and neighborhood partners committed to using art as a tool for healing, history keeping, and community investment.
“It’s where creative placemaking, community engagement, and public art collide,” said Erica Chisolm, Senior Urban Designer for Community Development and renowned muralist. “We want people to remember the story and use that story to catapult them into the future.”
Smithfield is one of the earliest Black neighborhoods in Birmingham and the home of Parker High School, the first four-year high school in the city for African Americans. At one time, it was considered to be the largest Black high school in the world. Many well-known figures emerged from the Smithfield area, including activist Angela Davis, civil rights attorney Arthur Shores, legendary musician and composer Sun-Ra, bandleader John T. “Fess” Whatley, and others. All Smithfield residents are notable, however, with many having been at the heart of the civil rights movement and advancing human rights not just for their neighborhood but for the country.
The Smithfield Art Walk initiative aims to honor the neighborhood’s legacy as a cradle of African American resilience, activism, and culture. Through intentional collaborations with local creatives, residents, and organizations, the project invites the community to reclaim and reimagine public spaces.
In 2023, Birmingham was awarded a $50 million CHOICE Neighborhood Implementation grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Themed “Honoring the Past and Envisioning the Future,” the project will celebrate the past, present, and future of Smithfield with intentionality around the development of over 900 affordable housing units across the Smithfield, Graymont, and College Hills communities. While the primary focus of Birmingham’s plan is replacing Smithfield Court, a 500-unit public housing community built in 1942, the proposal would create up to a thousand new affordable housing units, including both new multifamily residences for rental and affordable single-family homes for ownership.
“We want to make sure we are developing neighborhoods intentionally, using the stories that created the neighborhood, the people that live in the neighborhood, and all of the art that came from the neighborhood,” Chisolm said.
Key features of the Art Walk include:
- Murals by Local Artists: Celebrating themes like legacy, joy, resistance, and future vision.
- Community-led Storytelling: Intergenerational voices from Smithfield will be featured in printed, digital, and interactive formats.
- Creative Pathways: Painted sidewalks and intersections to encourage walkability and neighborhood pride.
- Pop-up Programming: A launch celebration, artist talks, and walking tours are planned to coincide with installation unveilings.
Discover A Few Of The Voices Behind The Art
Micah Briggs—Local visual artist and founder of 4XA Studio, explains how her Smithfield mural draws on Parker High’s history and West African symbolism.
Hear from Parker High School alum Class of ’44 Lewis “Boo” King as he remembers how “Smithfield was it!” From an educated community of Black residents to Parker’s world renown a capella choir to Park High Schools dedicated teachers, King reminds us of the rich history of Birmingham embedded in the community of Smithfield. Also, Erika E. Wade, Emmy-winning voice actor and filmmaker, shares her journey from Dolomite to creative leadership in Birmingham.
