Visit Austin Mural Project

Arts + Labor

Concept Creation + Art Direction + Strategy + Augmented Reality

This was a passion project that began early spring of 2019 that was pitched to Visit Austin as a way to help bring visitors in for an outdoor activity and promote and support Austin’s Vibrant Visual Arts and Mural Scene.

The Ask: Create an innovative outdoor attraction that drives tourism while authentically supporting Austin's vibrant visual arts community and mural scene.

The Idea: Austin's murals aren't just Instagram backdrops—they're living expressions of the city's creative soul. We saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between tourism and authentic arts support by creating an interactive mural trail that brought static art to life through AR technology. This passion project, initiated in spring 2019, transformed how visitors could experience Austin's street art while directly supporting local artists.

The Execution:

• Artist Curation Strategy: Led a diverse selection process that balanced established muralists with emerging artists, ensuring the project supported Austin's artistic ecosystem at all career levels while maintaining quality and visual impact.

• AR Development: Brought selected murals to life using Spark AR technology, creating interactive Instagram filters that allowed visitors to engage with public art in entirely new ways.

• Collaborative Selection: Worked closely with Visit Austin to finalize muralist partnerships, ensuring alignment between tourism goals and authentic arts community support.

• Mini-Documentary Production: Partnered with director Dylan Varella to create a companion documentary showcasing featured muralists, their backgrounds, and deep connections to Austin's art community. Featured both iconic and lesser-known murals throughout the city while incorporating local musicians across multiple genres for the soundtrack.

• Community Integration: Designed the project to celebrate Austin's broader creative ecosystem, incorporating visual artists, musicians, and cultural spaces into one cohesive tourism experience.

The Result:

• Industry Recognition: Won Gold ADDY Award for AR Filters, recognizing innovation in tourism marketing technology

• Artist Support: Successfully provided exposure and support for both established and emerging Austin muralists

• Tourism Innovation: Created a new model for cultural tourism that benefits local artists rather than just exploiting their work for visitor content

• Technology Leadership: Demonstrated early adoption of AR technology for destination marketing, influencing future tourism campaigns

• Cultural Authenticity: Proved that tourism initiatives can genuinely support local arts communities while delivering engaging visitor experiences

Winner: Gold ADDY Award AR Filters