Once again, Putnam County will be welcoming artists from across the country to install murals across the county as part of the 2026 Putnam County Mural Festival, which will take place Sept. 5-19. Four artists will bring murals to life on four walls in Greencastle and Cloverdale.
Wall locations and artists include:
- Moose Lodge Wall (212 W. Franklin St., Greencastle) – Arlin Graf
- Three G Bowling Alley Wall (1250 S. Jackson St., Greencastle) – Jenna Morello
- The Bodega Wall (16 S. Jackson St, Greencastle) – Miss Birdy
- Shady Dale Chic Boutique Wall (9 Market St., Cloverdale) – Christina Hollering
The walls have been painted and primed, and some of the artists will begin on Saturday, Sept. 5, while others will start a few days later.
Since 2019, the Putnam County Mural Project has been creating world-class works of art throughout Putnam County, including one of Indiana’s largest murals located on four grain silos at the intersection of U.S. 231 and Veterans Highway in Greencastle. This represents the group’s third mural fest, with the first taking place in 2022. The group has commissioned 16 murals to date.
A significant amount of funding for this year’s festival was secured through grants, in addition to more than $50,000 that was raised from the Putnam County community. The festival received a record-breaking response to its call for artists, which attracted more than 230 applications from artists across the country and around the world, demonstrating growing national and international interest in Putnam County as a destination for public art.
“We are excited to see the Putnam County Mural Project continue to grow – not just in the number of murals that are being created, but in the enthusiasm and investment we’re seeing from the community,” said Kristen Fuhs Wells, one of the members of Putnam County Mural Project. “This year’s incredible response from artists around the world shows that people are paying attention to what’s happening here, and the support we’ve received from local residents, businesses, and funders makes it possible for us to keep bringing that talent to Putnam County. These murals belong to the community, and we’re excited to see that community come together again to watch them take shape.”
The community is invited to ribbon cuttings and celebrations at each of the walls. Shady Dale will be having a festival from 4-6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 24, and The Whisk will be having a celebration in connection with the mural unveiling on Saturday, Sept. 25 from 6-10 p.m. For more details, visit the Facebook pages of those businesses.
Funding came from individuals and businesses, as well as grants from the Putnam County Community Foundation, MIBOR, the Indiana Arts Commission, and the Efroymson Family Fund. A significant amount of funding came from a match from CreatINg Places, a program of the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA), which supports projects that activate public spaces and strengthen community identity.
A fifth wall will be completed by an artist to be named at a later date due to complications with the original artist’s schedule. Stay tuned for more details.
The Putnam County Mural Project is an initiative of the Friends of the Park of Putnam County, an exempt, 501(c)(3) organization that supports outdoor recreation and nature-related projects in Putnam County, Indiana.
The Putnam County Mural Project seeks to enrich lives by engaging the community in participatory mural projects that activate spaces, build artistic capacity and celebrate who we are. Committee members include Alexandra Chamberlain, Chris Flegal, Kate Knaul, and Kristen Fuhs Wells. Learn more at www.putnamcountymuralproject.org or by following @putnamcountymuralproject on Facebook and Instagram.