A Canvas of Another Kind: The Faulkton Grain Elevator

The Mural

The essence of Faulkton shines through this photorealistic, larger than life mural. The side of a grain elevator in Faulkton served as a canvas the summer of 2018. Many Faulkton residents point to the mural, completed September 1st, 2018, as a source of community awe and pride.

“When you see it in person, it’s awe inspiring — the scale of it and the talent that went into it, I really feel so blessed for our community to have it — of all the places in the world or state.”

 “You have to come see it in person. Once you see the magnitude of it … it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before.”

The Artist

Internationally-known Australian artist Guido van Helten used the side of a grain elevator in Faulkton as his canvas the summer of 2018. He aimed to portray the essence of the town with this massive, photorealistic mural.

Van Helten was commissioned to create public works of art throughout the world, from Belarus to Ukraine. Public and private funds were raised for this remarkable project in Faulkton, which sits on the east edge of town and can be viewed from miles away.

The Impact of Art on a Small Town Economy

For more than 40 years, the Faulkton Area Arts Council has worked to ensure that art has a strong presence in the community. The mural project is one of several public works of art — albeit the largest one — that is earning the town recognition and drawing the eyes of visitors from the region and beyond.

Now that the mural is completed, the potential ripple effects of the project are just beginning to become clear.

The mural is unique to the region. The expected to boost area tourism has proven to be true. There’s been an increase in tourists visiting to see the mural, which has meant an uptick in customers for local businesses.

Learn more about the project's story here and the impact here.

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