When Walls Speak
Leimert Park and the Power of Public Art
Public street art is often framed as expression or visual culture, but in many cities, it also functions as civic design. Where murals are allowed, encouraged, or protected reveals how urban planning shapes whose histories are visible in public space. Designated areas for street art reflect planning decisions that determine what stories are preserved and which communities are allowed to remain visible within the city.
During Black History Month, this dynamic becomes especially significant. In historically black neighborhoods facing displacement and redevelopment, public street art has emerged as a form of place-keeping, a way to assert cultural presence and protect memory within the urban fabric. Leimert Park Village in Los Angeles, CA offers a compelling case study of how designated street art operates not as decoration, but as cultural infrastructure.
Located in South Central Los Angeles, Leimert Park has long served as a hub for black artists, musicians, writers, and activists. For decades, it functioned as a cultural anchor without formal protection, even as surrounding neighborhoods changed rapidly. As development pressures increased and major infrastructure projects, most notably the Crenshaw/LAX transit line, moved through the area, the question became whether Leimert Park’s identity could withstand the forces reshaping the city.
Street art and murals quickly became critical tools for the community. Rather than appearing as isolated commissions, they emerged as part of a collective effort to mark Leimert Park as a place with history and cultural significance. Murals appeared on storefronts, gathering spaces, and along pedestrian corridors, transforming everyday surfaces into visual narratives of black creativity, resistance, and continuity.
What distinguishes Leimert Park as a case study is the intentionality behind this public art landscape. Through a combination of community advocacy and formal recognition as a cultural district, the neighborhood became designated, both informally and structurally, as a space where cultural expression belongs. Street art signals that this is not blank space awaiting redevelopment, but a living cultural ecosystem.
In this context, murals function as civic design. They shape how the neighborhood is experienced, reinforce identity, and communicate belonging at the scale of the street. Unlike curated mural districts designed for tourism or branding, Leimert Park’s walls prioritize local memory over spectacle. The art is dynamic, evolving alongside the community, reflecting both its history and its present.
Leimert Park also challenges the assumption that meaningful civic design must be top-down. Its street art ecosystem emerged through grassroots stewardship before being reinforced by policy, demonstrating how cultural expression can guide planning rather than simply follow it. Especially during Black History Month, this model reframes history as something lived and visible, embedded into daily urban life rather than confined to museums or plaques.
For designers, planners, and creatives, Leimert Park offers a lasting lesson. Designated street art zones can either flatten culture or protect it. When approached with care, they become tools for storytelling, place keeping, and cultural respect. Ultimately, Leimert Park asks us to consider not just how we design cities, but whose histories we choose to make permanent.
Interested in reading more about some of the most famous pieces of street art? Check out this article from Artsper Magazine.
ACCESS PASS
We’re excited to share that Access Pass Membership applications are officially open for 2026!
The Access Pass program is designed to support individuals who may not otherwise be able to become members due to financial reasons. Through this initiative, 100% of your annual membership dues are covered, giving you full access to our local and national member benefits. If you’re looking to get more involved, expand your network, and grow within the A&D community, this is a great opportunity to take that next step.
📅 Applications for 2026 are now open—we encourage you to apply and take advantage of everything Access Pass has to offer.
👉 Apply here: Access Pass Application
BUILDING LEADERS BREAKFAST
Join IIDA New England on May 7, 2026, at the UMass Club One Beacon St. Level 32 in Boston, MA, for the Building Leaders Breakfast — celebrating the leaders who drive progress and shape the design industry.
Part of IIDA’s national Leaders Breakfast tradition, BLB honors designers as visionary business leaders and changemakers, bringing together established voices and emerging innovators to highlight the intersection of design, commerce, equity, and sustainability.
2026 Theme: Getting Sh!t Done Without Coming Undone with Katie McDonald
A no-nonsense, energizing keynote on crushing burnout, rethinking “doing it all,” and managing time and energy with purpose and clarity.
📅 Honoree submissions are open and will close February 15, 2026.
👉 Submit nominations here: 34th Annual Building Leaders Breakfast
UPCOMING EVENTS
Be sure to check in with the IIDA New England event calendar for upcoming events offered in our community. Here's a sneak peek at some upcoming events:
IIDA NE Fitness Fundraiser // Wednesday, April 8
IIDA NE Building Leaders Breakfast // Thursday, May 7
IIDA NE 5th Annual Block Party // Wednesday, July 22
Designer Monologues the Podcast from IIDA New England with your host Brett Berry is officially LIVE! On this show, we share the stories behind the design of repurposing, developing, and reshaping our communities. Incubated from the minds and skills of New England’s talented design community, you’ll hear how visual inspiration can come from nature, our history, current trends, and more as we take you on a story-telling journey behind design.
Check out all of the episodes here!
Stay tuned for the next President's Message in March!
Do you have an idea that you would like to share with the design community or see highlighted here in The Wire? Share your ideas here.
Stay tuned for the next Sponsor Spotlight!
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