From murals to sculpture and creative installations, the Aurora Area is home to an amazing collection of public art in Chicago's suburbs.
Endiro Coffee and a walk by the Bunnie Reiss mural under New York Street in Aurora Downtown (Photo: @JacquieAndRyan)
In downtown Aurora, the reputation of the second largest city in Illinois as an arts & creative hub has risen to prominence of late, thanks to the foundation laid by the award winning Paramount Theatre and the new Paramount School of the Arts.
From First Fridays art walks, The ArtBar at Two Brothers Roundhouse, to the resident artists at Artesan Lofts (including TikTok sensation and former American Idol contestant, Ephraim Bugumba), downtown Aurora's arts scene has been thriving of late... though currently at a distance.
Abstract art at 11 N Broadway in downtown Aurora, Illinois (Photo: O the Places We Go)
Aurora Public Art and the City of Aurora spearheaded a movement to beautify its downtown in recent years, adding splashes of color to its walls (and utility boxes, and bikes, too!) thanks to contributions from local and nationally recognized artists, including #JoseArt, Sam Rogueone Cervantes, Bunnie Reiss, and the latest mural by Creative Edge - Murals & More, documented in the time-lapse video below.
For a fun guide to the photogenic settings available in downtown Aurora backed by inventive public art, visit Chicagoland family travel blog O the Places We Go.
Featured stops include the new musical garden in Mundy Park, just outside The Venue, Endiro Coffee, and more fun locations throughout Aurora Downtown.
Aurora Public Art Scavenger Hunt
The leaves are falling, but you can still see lots of flowers and plants on murals and sculptures in downtown Aurora. Can you find these plants? What others do you see? Follow @AuroraPublicArt on Facebook for a fun scavenger hunt of public art throughout downtown Aurora!
Where else can you go to enjoy public art in the Aurora Area?
Fox Valley Mall, where muralists JB Snyder, Kelsey Montague Art and designer Ava Grey contributed outstanding works of art to complement the mall's fresh new look and Center Park indoor greenspace. On the exterior, Gregg Valley Public Art added an over 6,400 square foot installation depicting a fox chasing after a butterfly downriver.
Batavia MainStreet, home to Water Street Studios and its Activate the Alley outdoor gallery, as well as sculpture gardens and scientifically-oriented installations on the Wilson Street bridge over the Fox River, in addition to a scenic river-walk dotted with historic windmills.
Go Oswego unveiled a winning manhole cover design by Elisabeth Teitge that will feature in construction projects nearing completion in the Village of Oswego.
Plan a visit to view murals & public art in the Aurora Area
Plan a visit to the communities of the Aurora Area, where in addition to viewing public art and murals you can enjoy an outdoor adventure on Fox River Trails, get in touch with nature at Red Oak Nature Center, and find destination shopping for the holidays. Get the Aurora Area Go Guide, available in print or online at enjoyaurora.com/VisitorsGuide.