"Cultivate Kindness" Mural Completed on Charleston's West Side

Charleston Urban Renewal Authority (CURA) and the City of Charleston’s Office of Public Art (COPA) have teamed up to add a new mural to Charleston’s West Side. The location of the mural was determined by geographic need. It is located at the corner of Delaware and Virginia street at Five Corners (423 Virginia Street West).

“We wanted to do a mural project in a part of Charleston that we had not done before. This allowed us to engage the community in a very direct way,” said Jeff Pierson, Director of the City of Charleston’s Office of Public Art.

Artist Carlos Culbertson (Zulu Painter) worked with City of Charleston’s Office of Public Art and West Side Middle School students to formulate a design concept that focused on young people in the community. Zulu Painter made a sketch that was taken to community members for further discussion. 

After the final concept was discussed, work began on the wall.  While working on the wall Zulu talked to community members passing by and even included some of them in the mural. West Side Middle School students spent time at the mural painting the concepts that they help create. 

”It was an honor to be able to give back to the community while working with the kids on this mural. The kids were really into the process, and they gave some great feedback for the imagery. Conversing with the kids about the mural and the different ways that we can express ourselves in the community was a highlight of the project for me,” said Zulu Painter, Mural Artist.