Since 2006, Urban Scrawl has helped bring the beauty of art and creation to Columbus. The tremendous success of this Franklinton Arts District event keeps the community busy, organizers say, and the residents satisfied with the display of artistic expression.
“Franklinton has always been such a big arts district and (Scrawl) was a way to bridge that gap between the arts district and art studios and the rest of the community around it,” says Sophie Hess, president of the Franklinton Arts District Board of Trustees.
Scrawl 2023
Hess grew up around the block from Franklinton, and her family was heavily involved with the arts community. Her mother was a board member and her brother has painted on the Scrawl panels. Scrawl has also been deeply impactful to Hess’ professional life as an engineer.
“Scrawl is such an amazing opportunity to showcase your own individual creativity and the love you have for Franklinton or the love you have for Columbus,” she says.
Andrew Lundberg, board member of Scrawl and a participating artist, has been a member of the Franklinton community for 15 years. After exploring various careers in design, he packed up his life in New York and ventured to Columbus with a vision for the arts.
“At that time, Franklinton was like the Wild West; there was a freedom to it,” says Lundberg. “But it was just a good opportunity because you could feel where it was headed.”
Courtesy of Sophie Hess
The Franklinton Arts District is located west of downtown Columbus and has been expanding its mission to provide art for all. The district features artist studios, galleries, creative spaces and performance venues.
“You’re inside a small area and there was entertainment going on and people break-dancing and music, and everybody’s painting and sweating and miserable and great all at once,” says Lundberg.
Scrawl has evolved over the past 18 years and continues to develop as more and more artists get involved. Attendance has steadily increased and is now reaching between 500-700 attendees with more than 70 artists.
This year’s Franklinton Arts District Scrawl, scheduled for Sept. 7-8, will feature artist exhibitions and live artmaking. The live-mural experience will be accompanied by plenty of food vendor options and entertainment such as games, music and art presentations.
Vendors and colorful stands will line the streets with displays of unique and extravagantly painted murals. Individual artists will present their recent creations and craft artwork within the creative atmosphere of Scrawl.
Urban Scrawl
The board members of Scrawl aim to bring back the passionate, unified feeling that Franklinton had before the COVID-19 pandemic. Having witnessed the evolution of Scrawl over time, Hess and Lundberg hope to keep things youthful and fresh.
“It really is an opportunity for you to completely take your own creative freedom without any stipulations, without any prompts, and create whatever’s in your mind,” says Hess. “And I think that’s a really beautiful thing: to make art without any inhibitions and nothing really telling you what’s right or wrong.”
Amber Phipps is a contributing writer at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at aphipps@cityscenemediagroup.com.
[GB1]Fact-check this. The website lists him as being one of the muralist jurors for 2024, not explicitly as director of the event.
