MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. – Lubeznik Center for the Arts (LCA) is proud to announce an inaugural mural festival, “Paint the Town: La Porte 2026” to be held July 8 -12 in downtown La Porte. The program is co-managed by Lubeznik Center for the Arts and South Bend artist, Alex Ann Allen of Mural Mania and supported by the Health Foundation of La Porte (HFL), the La Porte Urban Enterprise Association (LPUEA) and the City of La Porte.
 
Four nationally recognized artists will travel to La Porte, Indiana, to create four large-scale murals in just five days. Representing California, Texas, and Virginia, the muralists will transform three buildings, bringing vibrant public art and added energy to La Porte’s already lively summer season.
 
During the festival, guided tours will offer visitors an inside look at the creative process. The event will culminate on Sunday evening, July 12, with a special historical tour led by Fonda Owens, Executive Director of the LaPorte County Public Library, highlighting the mural sites and their past.
 
Following the tour, the public is invited to a closing celebration at The La Porte Fire House, a new event space donated for the occasion by Dudley Beyler. Beyler is also providing appetizers and music to enhance the festivities. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the artists and organizers. A cash bar and Paint the Town: La Porte t-shirts will be available.
 
“This is the first mural festival organized by Lubeznik Center, and I’m confident it will be a great success thanks to our strong partnerships with Alex Ann Allen, the City of La Porte, LPUEA, and HFL,” said Janet Bloch, Executive Director of LCA “When you have terrific partners, it’s hard to fail. We are also incredibly grateful to the building owners for their generosity.”
 
As communities throughout Indiana look to the arts to help build their economies, these partnerships offer artists and residents financial benefits. Research shows that murals may bring the following benefits to a community:
 
Property values around murals increase faster and at a higher rate, in many examples up 15 – 20%.
 
Murals attract creatives and entrepreneurs, which leads to innovation and business development.
 
For every $1 spent on art as much as $24 returns to the community.
 
Neighborhoods with more arts activities see increases in housing, population and school test scores along with a decrease in crime. Lubeznik Center for the Arts #wims #whfb