I never thought I’d say this but a week in Winnipeg was not long enough! I did not visit all the places (and people) I intended to despite spending a lot of time wandering around the city streets.

One thing I did get to see a lot of on this trip was the fabulous mural art. When I lived in Winnipeg I couldn’t help but notice all the beautiful artwork decorating the walls, bridges and other surfaces around the city. I was often amazed by the bright colours and interesting designs which add character to this prairie city. Winnipeg has been known as a cultural capital in recent years and the murals do tell stories of Winnipeg’s diverse history, culture, famous inhabitants and local people, whilst preventing illegal graffitti tagging as they add a splash of colour.

Here is a selection of some of my old favourites and some new discoveries:

Since 1994, Take Pride Winnipeg! has commissioned murals as part of their mural program to keep graffiti off the streets, or rather walls, of Winnipeg’s buildings. Many of Winnipeg’s murals are collaborations between local businesses, community groups and organisations such as Take Pride Winnipeg!

Every summer the West End Biz runs ‘mural tours’ around Winnipeg’s West End and downtown areas but if you are not able to visit in person or you wish to locate murals around Winnipeg on your own, check out www.themuralsofwinnipeg.com/ for a more complete listing and mapping of Winipeg’s many murals.