“Hawaii Walls Street Art Festival Showcases the Role of Art in Bringing Together and Empowering Communities”
Stevie Shao, a dynamic creator, was among the numerous participants in the 2025 edition of Hawaii Walls, an exciting street art festival held in Honolulu. This year, more than 50 fresh murals were designed by both local and international artists, revitalizing spaces and enhancing cultural experiences through the event’s diverse array of mural artworks, artist discussions, and exhibitions. Led by Jasper Wong, Hawaii Walls is part of the global project World Wide Walls, which seeks to deliver art to communities across 25 cities around the globe.
Honolulu, despite its limited public arts funding, acts as a lively canvas and the heart of the festival. Wong’s dedication to giving back to his birthplace views art as a means to unite, inspire, and shape environments, fostering a sense of community pride. The festival began in 2011 in the industrial area of Kakaako, which evolved from an overlooked place to a vibrant center due to colorful murals and interactive activations. Recently, the festival relocated to the underserved district of Kalihi, concentrating on schools and community centers like Farrington High School, with the goal of enhancing areas closely connected to the community.
Wong emphasizes how students actively participated in the creative efforts at Farrington High School, painting alongside artists, a collaboration that promoted a sense of ownership and pride. This engagement embodies the central mission of Hawaii Walls: to make art available, dismantle elitist barriers, and integrate it into daily life. Beyond merely a collection of murals, the festival features a variety of additional events such as exhibitions, artist discussions, workshops, and community markets, offering numerous ways for engagement beyond the murals.
Visitors to Honolulu can experience a lively mix of global artistic expressions, with Kakaako hosting a concentrated array of murals and Kalihi rising as another center with significant displays at Farrington High School. Looking forward, World Wide Walls intends to spread the spirit of connectivity through art on an international scale with festivals planned in Japan and Qatar to conclude 2025. The spirit of Hawaii Walls is rooted in showcasing that art is an essential, transformative component of community life, not merely a luxury, thereby enriching the cultural landscape of Honolulu and beyond.