Paint CHQ
Chautauqua County Mural Festival
In partnership with local community members, Chautauqua Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC) and Chautauqua County Department of Planning and Development (CCDPD) are brining large-scale murals to several of our Chautauqua County communities! Each participating town will have a unique project in a location that aligns with the strategy and goals of the Paint CHQ Mural Festival.
The goals and purpose of this type of artwork implementation include highlighting community assets, embracing the value of public art investment, bringing visitors to your community, encouraging economic growth, building a foundation for more public art investment, and improving quality of place. This new public art will foster community pride and encourage economic revitalization.
All of the Paint CHQ murals will be located in different towns within Chautauqua County. In 2026, an additoinal mural will be created in the village of Bemus Point, with another mural (originally scheduled for 2025) set to be completed in the City of Dunkirk! The 2025 Paint CHQ Mural Festival culminated with a series of community events in the Villages of Falconer, Sherman, and Westfield.
Discover and explore all public murals in Chautauqua County using the CHQ Chamber’s Murals of Chautauqua App.
2026 PAINT CHQ MURAL FESTIVAL
BEMUS POINT, NY MURAL COMING IN SEPTEMBER 2026!
Our next public mural installation will occur in Bemus Point, NY in September! Come back here later this summer to learn more details and don’t forget to check out the other completed Paint CHQ murals below!
THE 2025 MURALS
Funding for the 2025 Paint CHQ mural project was allotted through CCPEG’s placemaking initiative, and additional funding has come from grant funding through New York State Council on the Arts, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Arts Services Inc., Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, Lake Shore Savings, and the United Arts Appeal of Chautauqua County.
DUNKIRK MURAL
The Coburn Block, 123 Central Ave.
“Just Breaking the Surface” captures a walleye in the exact moment it erupts from the waters of Lake Erie, suspended between realism and motion. The fish is not simply depicted, but transformed. Portions of its body dissolve into liquid movement and paint-like energy, blurring the boundary between wildlife, water, and environment. The mural is rooted in Dunkirk’s identity as a waterfront and fishing community.
The walleye, one of the region’s most recognizable and culturally familiar species, becomes a symbol of Lake Erie itself and the generations of recreation, industry, charter fishing, and harbor life connected to it. Elements of the surrounding waterfront, including the pier and harbor atmosphere, are subtly integrated into the composition to further ground the piece within Dunkirk’s landscape and visual identity.
Rather than presenting a static wildlife image, the mural emphasizes emergence, motion, and impact. The composition is designed to feel as though the subject is actively breaking into the viewer’s space, creating an energetic visual experience that reflects both the movement of the lake and the forward momentum of the community.
Artist: ARCY
WESTFIELD MURAL
Grace & Abe’s Westfield, 14 N. Portage St.
This mural celebrates the region’s heritage, natural beauty, and community pride. Hands at each end symbolize generations of labor and dedication, while native flora and grapevines reflect the area’s agricultural legacy. Budding and blooming flowers suggest growth and renewal. Historic imagery—like a train and carriage—blends with modern harvesting scenes, creating a quilt-like narrative that honors both tradition and progress. Colorful intersecting streaks nod to the town’s original name, Crossroads, and shades of blue highlight the importance of local waterways. Together, these elements form a bold, expressive portrait of a community rooted in history, thriving today, and looking ahead with pride.
Artist: Dom Laporte of DRIFT Mural Co.
SHERMAN MURAL
Cornerstone Restaurant, 104 E. Main St.
The West Wall highlights three of New York State’s most iconic animals—a White-tailed Deer, Bald Eagle, and Great Blue Heron—framed by a vivid sunset and rainbow. Songbirds, including the American Robin, Eastern Meadowlark, and Yellow Tanager, add harmony and lightness, balancing strength with playfulness. Around the corner, a Black Bear rests among wildflowers, embodying peaceful power, while a Northern Leopard Frog and American Toad share a whimsical tea moment. Flowing into water, wildflowers transition to aquatic life—featuring the Blackchin Shiner and Rainbow Darter—symbolizing the interconnected beauty of the region’s land and waterways.
Artist: Emily Ding and Justin Saurez
FALCONER MURAL
State Lanes, 16 E. Main St.
On the left side of the wall is a historic drawing of the community of Falconer, a place that is proud of its long history of industry and innovation. A falcon bursts through a sky of painted clouds, carrying the name of Falconer across the wall like a living emblem. It’s not just a bird; it’s the village in motion: bold, focused, and rising. On its wings, a dreamlike village sits on the back of the majestic bird, representing community, the community’s future, and imagination. This mural transforms the wall into a moment of lift-off; a reminder that even small villages can fly high when rooted in pride and possibility.
Artist: Mandi Caskey, aka “Miss Birdy”
MEET THE 2025 MURALISTS
LOCALS CAN GET INVOLVED!
Do you want to get more involved? CREDC and the CCDPD are evaluating the community’s interest in public art, and we are encouraging Chautauqua County residents to participate in this short anonymous survey. See the survey link below.
