Linda Moore, Kilted Mermaid co-owner with Rick Norry, has a vision for the Downtown Arts District – and it does not include blank walls. Moore, who is heading up the Downtown Vero Beach Mural Project, hopes to dot the downtown landscape with colorfully creative murals.

Although the vibrant work by acclaimed muralist Nicole Salgar painted above the Kilted Mermaid doorway is not part of the Mural Project, it does give a sense of the sort of beautification the project committee has in mind. A newer mural is painted on the alleyway between Kilted Mermaid and the Firestone building, whose blank wall was ripe for some attention.

“It took us two years to get permission. There are so many blank walls and it doesn’t have to be that way,” said Moore, stressing that murals have become a nationwide movement as people recognize their economic draw.

“We’ve always had this vision of how downtown should be just covered in murals. Especially in out-of-the-way places; down a side street, down an alley. To just make it more fun for people to walk around, have a drink here, have dinner there, listen to some music,” Moore added.

Once Firestone agreed, Brooke Malone remembers, “I begged her – let me have the first one. She gave me a 57-by-17-foot space, just shy of 1,000 square feet. And I painted somewhat of an ecological piece.”

Malone volunteered her time for that first mural to get the project going, but added that while businesses are often happy to offer their walls, the costs cannot be borne by artists alone. She noted that Richards Paint and Benjamin Moore supplied the paint, and Skyline Scaffold has donated the use of their scaffolding.

Prospective mural artists had an opportunity to showcase their ideas recently at an event at the Raw Space Gallery, with attendees voting on the ones they hoped would be funded first. Most artists were local, including a number from the Indian River Charter High School, but there were also several well-known artists from outside the area.

Guests wandered the space, noshing on hors d’oeuvres by Wild Thyme Catering and liquid refreshments from Kilted Mermaid, Walking Tree Brewery and Southern Social – all donated – while pausing to watch a slide show of artists’ entries.

“What we fund tonight will get painted next,” Moore told the crowd, saying the number of murals – there are eight potential walls now – would depend on their generosity.

“One of the main objectives here is to make sure that artists get paid. They’re artists; they’re making a living,” said Moore. “Artists are notoriously asked to give discounts or deals or ‘do this for exposure’ but I can personally attest that spending six weeks on a wall and spending $1,000 on paint really doesn’t help for exposure. What it does is break an artist’s bank.”

A team mural resplendent with ‘all things Vero Beach’ by IRCHS students Alexa Werner, Molly Phillips, Hannah Lafferty and Kenneth Betancourt was chosen as the first student project. There was enough funding also for murals by Vero Beach artist Arielle Chandonnet and Melbourne artist Derek Gores.

“It is our intention to get as many of these artists on our walls as possible, one mural at a time,” said Moore.

For more information, visit VeroMuralProject.org.