Giving Tuesday: Why PNW Mural Masters Matters — And Why We Need You
Every June for the last 9 or so years, downtown Burien transforms. Walls wake up, get buffed, and a whole community gathers to witness something bold, vibrant, and completely unique to our city: PNW Mural Masters.
What most people don’t see is everything that happens long before a single can of Molotow Premium shakes.
From October through the following summer, our tiny volunteer crew is planning, emailing, fundraising, applying for grants, scouting walls, coordinating artists, and doing whatever it takes to keep this festival alive. We all work full-time jobs, have families, and somehow still carve out space to make this happen — because we believe in Burien, and we believe in the power of public art.
And on Giving Tuesday, we’re inviting you to be part of that story.
This Festival Exists Because of People Who Give — Of Time, Skills, Funds, and Heart
☻ Our Volunteers
Whether it’s priming walls, distributing water, cleaning up, documenting the work, or helping at the market — our volunteers are the backbone of this entire program. They show up in the heat, the rain, and everything in between. Every mural you see has a trail of helping hands behind it.
✦ Our Artists
Twenty artists came together in 2025 to create a gallery-worth of murals in just three days. Many traveled from out of town, paid for their own lodging, balanced families and deadlines, and still poured their creativity onto Burien’s walls because they believe in this community and in the magic of street art.
These aren’t hobbyists — they’re masters of graffiti, sign painting, muralism, and contemporary street art. Some are local heroes. Some are international legends. All are generous beyond measure.
✿ Our Sponsors
We couldn’t do this without the Burien businesses and partners who continually say yes — who share their walls, support the logistics, and uplift the arts community year after year. Their trust gives artists space to shine and gives Burien its identity as a city that values culture and creativity.
How We Make This Happen — And Why Fundraising Matters
The truth? Mural Masters is run on a shoestring budget.
Every year we pull off something huge with very little — and the lion’s share of the cost is covered through:
Grants we apply for constantly
Donations from the community
Small sponsorships
Merch sales
And yes… a lot of personal financial contributions from our organizers
In 2025, the festival cost roughly $7,000 to produce — not including the enormous amount of unpaid labor, travel costs that artists cover themselves, or the supplies we stretch to make it all happen. We’re proud of what we accomplished, but it also shows how essential fundraising is if we want to continue growing.
⤹ What Your Donation Supports ⤵
Why Giving Tuesday Matters So Much
Giving Tuesday gives us a moment to rally as a community — to acknowledge how far we’ve come, and what we envision for the future. If you’ve ever:
✨ Taken a photo with a mural
✨ Brought friends to see the walls
✨ Watched an artist paint
✨ Been inspired by color on a gray day
✨ Felt connected to Burien because of what we do
— then we’re asking you to help us keep that going.
We plan all year. We dream and scheme bigger. And with your help, we can create more murals, more opportunities, more community gatherings, and more moments of joy.
A Huge Thank You!
To our artists, volunteers, sponsors, donors, viewers, and neighbors: YOU make PNW Mural Masters what it is.
You’re the reason this festival exists.
You’re the reason Burien shines.
You’re the reason we keep going.
Thank you for believing in us.
If you want to support PNW Mural Masters this Giving Tuesday:
👉 Donate at our Shunpike or Official WA Gives pages
👉 Follow us on Instagram; @pnw_mural_masters
👉 Share our posts
👉 Tell a friend
👉 Join our newsletter
And most importantly — keep showing up.
Burien deserves color. Burien deserves creativity. Burien deserves YOU.
