Brandi Hofer says Lloydminster’s second Mural Fest is about more than painting walls — it’s about building confidence, community and opportunity through public art.
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Following a successful first year, the festival is set to return with an expanded vision centred on mentorship and youth engagement. The event will once again take place at the Lloyd Ex grounds during the annual fair, bringing public art into one of the community’s busiest gatherings of the year.
However, as planning continues, organizers are still looking for sponsors to help ensure the event can move forward.
Hofer, of Brandi Hofer Studios, said the impact of the inaugural festival continues being felt across the community.
“Even on a small project, things start clicking and good things happen,” she said. “People see public art and it empowers them to try something bigger.”
That sense of empowerment is at the core of Mural Fest. Through hands-on participation, local artists — many of them young or emerging — gain the confidence to tackle large-scale work they may not have previously considered.
“Not a lot of people think they can do something like a 30-foot wall,” Hofer said. “But once they see how it’s done, they realize they can.”
The festival also includes a structured mentorship component, pairing experienced artists with youth participants. Hofer points to one example of a young artist who joined through an Indigenous entrepreneurship initiative at just 15 years old.
Now a mentor herself, the student continues to build her artistic career and has been hired for additional mural projects in the community.
“That’s exactly what we want to see,” Hofer said. “That ripple effect.”
The broader goal, she added, is to create a more vibrant and livable city — one that attracts residents, supports tourism and fosters a sense of pride.
“It’s about making our community a beautiful space — a place where people want to live and feel connected,” she said.
Hofer said the benefits extend beyond the finished artwork. Volunteers and participants often take their experiences home, sharing them with friends and family and inspiring others to get involved in creative pursuits.
“Kids grow up and say, ‘I painted that,’” she said. “And then the next generation believes they can do it too.”
Despite the momentum, the future of the festival depends heavily on financial backing. Unlike non-profit events, Mural Fest relies on support from local businesses and sponsors to cover costs.
“I’m pretty burnt out from fundraising,” Hofer said candidly. “It’s fully dependent on businesses supporting it — we need that help to keep it going.”
Organizers are encouraging community partners to get involved to ensure the festival can continue building on its early success.
For Hofer, the vision remains clear: a growing movement of local artists transforming Lloydminster — and themselves — one wall at a time.
Anyone looking to get involved or sponsor the event can contact Hofer at ar*@*********er.ca
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