5 New Murals Coming To Manhattan Beach

MANHATTAN BEACH, CA — The Manhattan Beach City Council approved five new murals to be installed across the city at a Tuesday night meeting.

The murals, which will cost a total of $73,500 from the city's Public Art Trust Fund, will be installed at locations like: the parking garage and around the elevator structure at the civic center; the east wall of the Joslyn Community Center; Metlox Plaza; and a parking lot near 14th Street and Highland Avenue.

Five South Bay artists were commissioned to create the pieces: Bo Bridges, Joanna Garel, Charles Bragg, Kelsey Montague and Kid Wiseman. The murals, which will include images from realistic beach scenes to abstract pieces, are introducing public art to the cultural conversation of the city, Cultural Arts Manager Martin Betz told The Beach Reporter.

"The goal is to beautify areas of the city and begin to encourage other entities to begin installing murals," Betz said, mentioning the initial locations were picked because they already have a relationship with the city. "We were looking at properties that we wouldn't have to get into a complicated negotiation with...the idea is to kick start more private murals so this is the seed of that."

Eight murals were initially proposed, but due to cost and lack of visibility, city leaders did not approve them — however, councilmembers said they do want to see more murals in Manhattan Beach.

To view renderings of the murals, click here.