In November 2018, Kingston Creative launched a project called Paint the City which seeks to develop Street Art Murals throughout Downtown Kingston, with the ultimate vision of making Downtown Kingston a vibrant Art District in furtherance of the UNESCO Creative City designation. To date 59 murals have been created in Central Downtown, Tivoli Gardens, Rae Town, Trench Town and Southside, some with Augmented Reality (AR) functionality that tells the story of these historic spaces.

Paint the City is a public-private-third sector partnership funded by the Tourism Enhancement Fund, Sherwin Williams, the KSAMC and other organizations.  The primary goal is to transform Downtown Kingston into an Art District using art, culture and technology.  The project innovates through the use of augmented and virtual reality, which create an immersive experience for the visitor and also for those who visit virtually or take the virtual tours online.  The project is a critical part of a ten-year programme to transform Downtown Kingston and stimulate growth in the creative economy.  

All murals are created through a process of community engagement, in which citizens, entrepreneurs and artists co-create and take co-ownership in the works, which builds long-lasting and reciprocal social engagement. The private sector contributes the walls for murals, and if they do not want to do a mural,  Sherwin Williams has a discount programme so that other building owners can paint their buildings in complementary colours and protect the heritage overlay when upgrading their premises. This all contributes to preserving the look of the Georgian buildings and the architectural and heritage value of the Art District.

59 murals have been developed to date, and the project has seen Kingston Creative employing local and community-based artists.  Water Lane Art Walls is the focal point of the Street Art experience and the murals along this street feature Augmented Reality and have a corresponding virtual tour.  The murals and digital content reflect on local contexts and the city’s rich cultural history.