Eastridge is a 1.4 million-square-foot, two-level regional center located southeast of downtown San Jose, Calif. In 2017, the asset underwent major interior and exterior renovations, with the Eastridge Mural Program playing a key role in exterior beatification. The program would demonstrate the center’s commitment to urban renewal and growth in the neighborhood.
By establishing a visual public presence from the street, Eastridge hoped to engage the community in celebrating art, while drawing traffic to the center and solidifying the center as a cultural hub and a catalyst for public art in a private space. With a dedication to fostering community collaboration and partnerships, the program commenced with a call for local and world-renowned artists to reimagine 20,000-square-feet of blank exterior brick, stucco and tiled walls into transformed, expansive murals. Four burgeoning artists were selected to create timeless, eclectic pieces that resulted in the world’s largest collection of outdoor murals on a shopping center.
#eastridgemurals
The Shops at South Town completed an interior renovation in 2018, however the exterior façade was left bare of improvements. With limited funds, the team enacted a creative solution to involve their city council. Envisioning exterior blank walls as an opportunity to cultivate the arts, the team garnered the city’s partnership to fund a public art program. The $85,000 contribution began what is now an ongoing city-funded arts initiative showcasing public art. Activating walls with art created synergy between the center’s picturesque backdrop and the urban meets mountain renovation theme. Featuring three artists, the murals serve as a tangible touch point inspiring lasting community engagement.
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