How to Plan a Mural Tour in Phillips

Phillips, a vibrant neighborhood in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is home to one of the most dynamic and culturally rich collections of public murals in the Upper Midwest. From bold social justice statements to intricate tributes to Indigenous heritage and local history, the murals of Phillips tell stories that words alone cannot capture. Planning a mural tour in Phillips isn’t just about walking from one painting to another—it’s an immersive journey into community identity, artistic expression, and urban revitalization. Whether you’re a local resident, a visiting art enthusiast, or a cultural historian, a well-planned mural tour can deepen your connection to the neighborhood and reveal layers of meaning often missed by casual observers.

This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step roadmap to designing and executing a meaningful, engaging, and logistically sound mural tour in Phillips. You’ll learn how to identify key artworks, structure your route, engage with the community, leverage digital tools, and create an experience that respects both the artists and the neighborhood. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have the knowledge and resources to lead a tour that is not only informative but also culturally responsible and deeply memorable.

Step-by-Step Guide

Research the Murals of Phillips

The foundation of any successful mural tour begins with thorough research. Phillips is not a monolithic artistic zone—it’s a mosaic of voices, styles, and intentions. Start by compiling a list of murals that are publicly accessible and have documented histories. Key locations include the intersection of 26th Street and Chicago Avenue, the Phillips Community Center, the corner of 24th Street and Nicollet Avenue, and the alleyways between 25th and 27th Streets.

Use online archives such as the Minneapolis Arts Commission’s Public Art Database, the Minnesota Historical Society’s digital collections, and community blogs like “Phillips Neighborhood News” or “Mural Arts Minneapolis.” Look for murals with plaques, QR codes, or artist signatures—these often indicate official recognition and provide valuable context. Pay attention to the dates of creation; newer murals may reflect contemporary movements like Black Lives Matter or Indigenous sovereignty, while older pieces may honor labor history or immigrant contributions.

Don’t overlook murals that are less visible but equally significant. Some are painted on the sides of businesses, behind fences, or on the gables of homes. These often carry deeply personal messages from residents and may not appear on official maps. Talk to local shopkeepers, librarians, or members of the Phillips Community Council—they can point you to hidden gems and share anecdotes about the artists and the stories behind the works.

Define Your Tour’s Purpose and Audience

Before you map out your route, ask yourself: Who is this tour for, and what do you want them to take away? Are you designing a self-guided walking tour for tourists? A school field trip for middle schoolers? A curated experience for art collectors? Each audience requires a different tone, depth, and pacing.

For general visitors, focus on visual accessibility and storytelling. Highlight murals with strong imagery and clear themes—such as “We Are the Fire” by artist D’Angelo Lovell Williams, which celebrates Black resilience, or “The Spirit of Phillips” by local youth collective Mosaic, which depicts ancestral figures holding hands across generations.

For educational groups, integrate historical context. For example, the mural “From the Soil” at 25th and Nicollet tells the story of Hmong farmers who settled in Phillips in the 1980s. Pair this with information about the refugee resettlement programs in Minnesota and how public art became a tool for cultural preservation.

For artists or creatives, emphasize technique and process. Some murals were created using spray paint and stencils, others with acrylics and brushwork. Note whether the artist collaborated with residents, used community input, or incorporated traditional motifs. This level of detail transforms a casual walk into a masterclass in public art methodology.

Map Your Route for Efficiency and Safety

A well-designed route balances artistic variety with physical practicality. Phillips is a walkable neighborhood, but not all streets are equally safe or accessible. Use Google Maps or Mapbox to plot the locations of your selected murals. Aim for a total walking distance of 1.5 to 2.5 miles—long enough to feel substantial, short enough to avoid fatigue.

Group murals by proximity. For instance, cluster the 26th Street corridor murals together, then move to the 25th Street alleyway cluster, and finish near the Phillips Library or a community café where participants can rest. Avoid routes that require crossing high-traffic roads without crosswalks or that pass through poorly lit areas after dusk.

Include rest stops. Identify benches, public plazas, or cafes where your group can pause, reflect, or even enjoy a snack. The Phillips Library, located at 2501 26th Ave S, has outdoor seating and is a natural hub for cultural activity. Consider partnering with them to provide water, maps, or printed guides.

Always check for seasonal considerations. In winter, snow and ice may make sidewalks hazardous. In summer, shade and hydration become priorities. Include notes in your tour materials about weather-appropriate attire and timing—early morning or late afternoon tours avoid the midday heat and offer better lighting for photography.

Create a Narrative Arc

A great tour doesn’t just show art—it tells a story. Structure your route as a narrative journey with a beginning, middle, and end. Start with a mural that introduces the neighborhood’s identity: perhaps “Roots of Phillips,” a large-scale piece depicting Native Dakota and early settler interactions. This sets the historical tone.

Move into the middle section with murals that reflect struggle, resistance, and resilience. “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” near 26th and Chicago is a powerful example—painted in 2015 after the killing of Michael Brown, it became a site of community mourning and protest. Include a moment for quiet reflection here.

End on a note of hope and continuity. Choose a mural created by youth, such as “Future We Build,” painted by students from the Phillips Community Arts Center. This closing piece signals renewal and invites participants to consider their own role in shaping the neighborhood’s future.

Use transitional phrases as you move between murals: “This wall speaks to loss… now let’s see how the community responded.” This narrative thread keeps participants engaged and helps them connect emotionally with the art.

Prepare Educational Materials

Even the most compelling tour benefits from tangible resources. Create a simple, printable PDF guide with the following elements:

• A map with numbered mural locations
• A brief description of each mural (artist, year, theme, medium)
• One or two thought-provoking questions per mural (e.g., “How does this image challenge stereotypes about our neighborhood?”)
• Historical context: dates, events, or movements referenced
• Artist bios or quotes (if available)

For digital tours, generate QR codes that link to short video interviews with artists, audio narrations, or photo galleries. Tools like Bitly or QR Code Generator make this easy and free. Place the QR codes on printed materials or share them via email or social media before the tour.

If leading a group, consider preparing a script or talking points. Don’t memorize it—use it as a framework. The goal is to sound natural, not rehearsed. Allow space for questions, pauses, and spontaneous observations.

Engage the Community

Phillips murals are not tourist attractions—they are living expressions of community. The most ethical and impactful tours involve local voices. Reach out to the artists themselves. Many are eager to speak about their work. Schedule a brief interview or invite them to join part of your tour.

Partner with local organizations. The Phillips Community Council, the Phillips Art Collective, or the Minneapolis Institute of Art’s community outreach team may be able to provide funding, volunteers, or promotional support. Offer to credit them in your materials.

Consider hosting a small community gathering after the tour—a potluck, open mic, or art-making station. This transforms your tour from a passive experience into an active contribution to neighborhood life. It also reinforces the idea that public art is a shared responsibility.

Test Your Tour

Before launching your tour publicly, walk it yourself—at least three times. Time each segment. Note where people might get confused. Identify where the lighting is poor or where the sidewalk is cracked. Ask a friend unfamiliar with Phillips to follow your map and give feedback. Did they miss a mural? Was a description unclear?

Adjust based on real-world feedback. A route that looks perfect on paper may require a detour around a construction zone or a new mural that wasn’t there during your research. Stay flexible. Public art evolves—and so should your tour.

Best Practices

Respect the Art and the Community

Never touch, climb on, or deface a mural. Even seemingly harmless actions like leaning against a wall or taking flash photos can damage surfaces or disturb residents. Murals are often painted on private property or in residential areas. Be mindful of noise, litter, and parking. If you’re leading a group, remind participants to be courteous neighbors.

Always credit the artists. Many murals are created without formal permits or funding. The artist may not have received compensation. Acknowledge their labor and vision. Use their full name, pronouns, and any preferred titles. If you’re unsure of the artist, say so—but never guess or misattribute.

Use Inclusive Language

Phillips is a diverse neighborhood with significant Hmong, Somali, African American, and Latinx populations. Avoid language that frames the area as “gritty,” “dangerous,” or “up-and-coming.” These terms carry harmful stereotypes. Instead, use words like “resilient,” “vibrant,” “culturally rich,” or “community-driven.”

When discussing murals that address trauma, such as police violence or displacement, use trauma-informed language. Say “the community responded with art” rather than “the neighborhood was destroyed and then painted over.” Focus on agency, not victimhood.

Ensure Accessibility

A truly inclusive tour considers physical, sensory, and cognitive access. Is your route wheelchair accessible? Are there curb cuts and ramps? If not, offer an alternative route or virtual tour option.

For visually impaired participants, describe colors, shapes, and compositions in detail. For example: “The mural features a large, circular sun in gold and orange, radiating lines like rays, surrounded by silhouettes of children holding hands.”

Provide materials in multiple formats: large print, audio descriptions, and plain language summaries. Avoid jargon. Terms like “neon palette” or “chiaroscuro” may confuse non-art audiences. Replace them with “bright, glowing colors” or “strong contrast between light and dark.”

Be Ethical About Photography

Photography is encouraged—but not without boundaries. Always ask permission before photographing people, especially children or residents near the murals. Avoid staging photos that exploit the art or the neighborhood for aesthetic gain (e.g., posing in front of a Black Lives Matter mural with a “selfie stick” while smiling).

When sharing photos online, tag the artists and the neighborhood. Use hashtags like

PhillipsMurals, #MinneapolisPublicArt, or #ArtThatHeals. This helps amplify the artists’ voices and directs traffic to authentic sources, not commercial tourism accounts.

Update Regularly

Public art changes. Murals fade, are painted over, or are replaced. New ones appear every season. Revisit your tour materials every six months. Remove outdated murals, add new ones, and update artist information. A tour that feels stagnant loses credibility. A living, evolving tour reflects the neighborhood’s energy.

Measure Impact

Ask for feedback. After your tour, distribute a short survey (via Google Forms or paper). Ask: What was your favorite mural? What did you learn? What would you change? Use this data to improve future tours.

Track engagement. How many people attended? Did they share your materials? Did local media cover it? These metrics help justify future funding or partnerships.

Tools and Resources

Digital Mapping Tools

Google Maps and Mapbox are essential for plotting routes. Use the “My Maps” feature to create custom layers: one for murals, one for rest stops, one for historical notes. You can share this map via link or embed it on a website.

For more advanced users, QGIS (free open-source software) allows you to overlay historical data, such as population shifts or zoning changes, onto your mural map. This adds depth for academic or research-oriented tours.

QR Code Generators

QR Code Generator (qrcode-generator.com), Unitag, and QRStuff are free platforms that let you turn URLs into scannable codes. Link them to:

• Artist interviews on YouTube
• Audio narrations recorded on Anchor or Audacity
• Photo galleries on Flickr or Google Photos
• Historical documents from the Minnesota Historical Society

Audio Recording Tools

Use your smartphone’s voice memo app or free software like Audacity to record short audio descriptions of each mural. These can be downloaded as MP3s and shared via a link or QR code. For better sound quality, use a lapel mic ($20 on Amazon) and record in a quiet space.

Print and Design Tools

Canva offers free, drag-and-drop templates for creating tour maps, flyers, and brochures. Use their “Event Guide” or “Walking Tour” templates. Download in PDF format for printing. Use fonts like Lato or Open Sans for readability.

For printing, use a local print shop like CopyCat in Minneapolis or Staples. Opt for recycled paper and soy-based ink to align with environmental values.

Community Databases

• Minneapolis Arts Commission Public Art Map – https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/departments/arts
• Mural Arts Minneapolis – https://muralartsminneapolis.org
• Phillips Community Council – https://phillipscommunitycouncil.org
• Minnesota Historical Society Digital Collections – https://collections.mnhs.org
• Google Arts & Culture – Minneapolis Murals – https://artsandculture.google.com

Books and Publications

• Public Art: Theory, Practice and Populism by Ingrid Halland
• Art in the Public Interest by the Americans for the Arts
• Phillips: A Neighborhood History by the Phillips Historical Society (available at the Minneapolis Central Library)
• Street Art, Public City by Roberta Goldman

Real Examples

Example 1: “We Are the Fire” by D’Angelo Lovell Williams

Located on the side of the Phillips Community Center, this mural features a series of portraits of Black men and women gazing directly at the viewer. Painted in 2020, it was commissioned by the community in response to the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent uprisings. Williams, a Minneapolis-based photographer and artist, used soft lighting and intimate framing to counteract the dehumanizing imagery often seen in media.

On a tour, pause here for five minutes. Ask participants: “What do you feel when you meet the eyes of these individuals?” Share that Williams worked with local youth to select the subjects. One subject, a 17-year-old student, later said, “I didn’t know I was important until I saw myself on that wall.”

Example 2: “The Hmong Garden” by Vang Lor

This mural, painted in 2018 on the alley wall behind the Hmong Cultural Center, depicts seasonal crops, traditional clothing, and ancestral spirits. Vang Lor, a Hmong-American artist, drew from family stories and community elders to create a visual archive of agricultural heritage.

Include this mural in your tour to highlight immigrant contributions. Note how the mural uses vertical space to show the sky, earth, and underground roots—symbolizing the connection between land, memory, and identity. Encourage participants to compare it to the “Roots of Phillips” mural to see how different communities express belonging.

Example 3: “Future We Build” by Phillips Youth Collective

Painted in 2022 by a group of teens from the Phillips Community Arts Center, this mural shows children planting trees, holding books, and drawing maps of the neighborhood. The background includes floating words: “We are not broken. We are becoming.”

Use this as your tour’s closing piece. Invite participants to write their own “future” on a sticky note and add it to a community board nearby. This transforms the tour into an act of co-creation. The mural is now a living document—updated every spring by new students.

Example 4: The “Lost Murals” Project

In 2021, local historian Elena Ramirez launched a digital archive called “Lost Murals of Phillips,” documenting over 40 murals that have been painted over or removed since 2000. Her work shows how public art is often erased without record. Include a QR code on your tour map that links to her archive. This adds historical depth and encourages participants to think critically about preservation.

FAQs

Do I need permission to lead a mural tour in Phillips?

No formal permission is required to lead a self-guided walking tour. However, if you plan to distribute printed materials, use the name of a business or institution, or organize a large group (more than 15 people), it’s respectful to notify the Phillips Community Council or the Minneapolis Arts Commission. They may offer guidance or support.

Are all the murals still there? Can I rely on online maps?

No. Murals are temporary by nature. Some are painted over within months; others last decades. Online maps often lag behind reality. Always verify current status with local sources or visit in person before finalizing your tour.

What if I find a mural with no artist credit?

Don’t guess. Note it as “Anonymous Artist” or “Community Created.” You can still describe its visual elements and social context. If possible, ask neighbors or post a query on local Facebook groups like “Phillips Neighborhood Watch.” Often, someone knows the story.

Can I bring children on a mural tour?

Yes—but tailor the content. Some murals depict intense themes like violence or grief. Pre-select family-friendly pieces or prepare age-appropriate explanations. The Phillips Library offers youth art kits you can borrow for children’s tours.

How long should a mural tour take?

A typical guided tour lasts 90 to 120 minutes. A self-guided tour can be completed in 60 to 90 minutes, depending on how long participants spend at each stop. Always build in extra time for questions and photos.

Can I charge for the tour?

Yes, if you’re offering a professional service. However, consider making your tour free or “pay-what-you-can.” Phillips is a neighborhood with economic disparities. Charging may exclude those who benefit most from cultural access. Instead, invite voluntary donations to a local arts nonprofit.

What’s the best time of year to do a mural tour?

May through October offers the best weather and longest daylight. Spring and fall are ideal—fewer crowds, comfortable temperatures. Avoid winter unless you’re offering a winter-themed tour with hot cocoa stops and indoor breaks.

Conclusion

Planning a mural tour in Phillips is more than an itinerary—it’s an act of cultural stewardship. Each mural you include is a thread in a larger tapestry of resistance, joy, memory, and hope. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you’re not just showing people art—you’re inviting them to listen to the stories the walls are telling.

Remember: the power of public art lies not in its size or color, but in its ability to connect. A mural can turn a blank wall into a classroom, a memorial, a protest sign, or a promise. Your tour can help ensure those messages are seen, understood, and preserved.

As you walk the streets of Phillips, let curiosity guide you. Talk to the people who live there. Honor the artists who gave their time and vision. Leave no trace but your appreciation. And when you’re done, consider what mural you might help create next.

Phillips doesn’t need another tourist attraction. It needs more witnesses. Be one.