Indio on a Mission to Conserve its Murals [Video]

Assessment of murals will determine next steps to preserving and restoring public art

INDIO – Murals are a staple of Indio’s culture, diversity, and beauty. Now, the city is on a mission to conserve its murals.

As part of its effort to nurture and promote the arts in Indio, the city engaged professional art conservators to assess its mural collection.  The murals are made up of both commissioned and vintage pieces, of which the city is now the steward. The oldest mural was commissioned in 1997, making it almost 25 years old.

A conservation foreman from Evergreen Architectural Arts traveled to Indio, surveying all 11 murals over the course of two full days.  This assessment included visual and physical inspections to determine the condition above and below the surface of the murals. Each mural was fully appraised, photographed and tested. A full condition report, detailing the issues facing each piece, is expected to be completed in the next two weeks.

The report will also include professional recommendations for conservation, costs for different levels of conservation and a timeline.  “The City has prioritized updating and maintaining our public arts collection,” said Public Art Management Analyst Debra Alleyne, “So as we prepare to take care of our murals, we will also receive guidance on how to move forward to create new murals in our community that will last.”

The City’s Public Art Commission will evaluate the report from Evergreen Architectural Arts and make recommendations about repairs based on the cost and findings. Following the Commission’s recommendations, City staff will begin addressing each of the murals.

Check out this video of murals in Indio.