Winston-Salem Plans $150,000 Sunrise Towers Mural
Officials are seeking artists to paint an exterior mural on the 11-story Sunrise Towers public housing building.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Painting
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The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Public Art Commission plans a mural on the exterior walls of Sunrise Towers, a public housing complex, with a budget of up to $150,000. Artist applications are due December 4.
Why it matters
The project is part of the Choice Neighborhoods Public Art Revitalization Program, a joint initiative of the city and ASPIRE, formerly the Housing Authority of Winston-Salem. It comes after residents of several public housing complexes protested poor conditions last year.
The mural budget is capped at up to $150,000 for the 11-story Sunrise Towers exterior. The project draws on the $30 million federal grant the city and ASPIRE received in 2020, though the artist and design remain undetermined.
The players
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Public Art Commission
The commission oversees public art projects across Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, including this planned mural.
ASPIRE
ASPIRE is the renamed Housing Authority of Winston-Salem, which manages public housing and co-leads the Choice Neighborhoods initiative.
The details
Officials are searching for artists to design and paint the mural on Sunrise Towers' exterior walls. Applications are due December 4, and ASPIRE stated there are no outstanding maintenance repairs at the complex.
Timeline
2020: City of Winston-Salem and ASPIRE receive $30 million federal grant for distressed housing.
Last year: Residents of Crystal, Healy and Sunrise Towers protest poor conditions.
December 4, 2026: Artist applications for the Sunrise Towers mural are due.
Culture Shift
The Sunrise Towers mural extends the Choice Neighborhoods Public Art Revitalization Program, which pairs public art with redevelopment of distressed public housing. Using large-scale murals in housing complexes reflects a broader municipal effort to bring visual investment into neighborhoods that have faced maintenance and living-condition complaints.
Winston-Salem residents living near Sunrise Towers or in other public housing complexes may see new large-scale artwork on the building once an artist is selected. Applicants interested in the project must submit materials by December 4 to be considered.
The takeaway
Public art tied to housing investment can signal neighborhood revitalization, but the mural's impact will depend on the design and the follow-through on the wider Choice Neighborhoods effort. Interested artists should watch the December 4 application deadline.
What happens next
Artist applications for the Sunrise Towers mural close December 4, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more about painting in Winston-Salem's public art scene.
Source note: This article includes information reported by 88.5 WFDD.
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