Mission

M.U.R.I.R.S (which stands for Urban Murals for the Revitalization of Buildings and Social Reconciliation) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote various milieus by producing artistic murals and working toward social solidarity.

Mandate

Aims are social and artistic only, with no intent of monetary gain. All profit or other corporate gain is employed in the accomplishment of specific goals:

• Improving the urban decor and offering artistic revitalization by means of mural artwork
• Promoting culture by producing collective works of art, thus working toward solidarity between different social groups through a strictly non-profit activity
• Increasing the tourist appeal of visited areas by promoting the historical and cultural heritage of the city in question

Objectives

• To create a tourist attraction, namely the city of Sherbrooke as an outdoor art gallery
• To establish in downtown Sherbrooke a tour of artistic murals with an audio guide
• To spotlight the architecture, history, and culture of Sherbrooke and the Eastern Townships

In a first phase, M.U.R.I.R.S created outdoor murals promoting the nature and history specific to each mural location. Architectural paintings are intended to be a part of daily life, thus honouring previous generations as well as modern artists in the context of a tour featuring Sherbrooke art, history, and culture.

This collective M.U.R.I.R.S. project adds to the sociocultural and tourist facets of the Sherbrooke community. It has been designed and carried out by and for citizens, for future generations and for the reclaiming of historical roots. The artistic role of these murals is to awaken in passers-by a sense of reclaiming urban space, of reconciliation with their past.

The Sherbrooke Bicentennial was our springboard; our objective, however, is to pursue other mobilizing projects whose planning foresees the creation of unifying events. This project contributes to Sherbrooke’s appeal among various tourist clienteles, and develops complementarily with the City’s development plans.

The murals are an ongoing attraction, accessible 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, thereby promoting the realization of Destination Sherbrooke―Queen of the Eastern Townships and now Queen of Mural Art in Quebec―thanks to the city’s mural artwork of wall-to-wall culture and history.

Sherbrooke reflects municipal realities specific to Quebec and beyond. This is why we also export our services to other regions, thus demonstrating the significance of murals as tools for social impact, publicity, visibility, and charity for entire communities.