Merced Art Festival

🎨 ONE WEEK. ONE DOWNTOWN. ONE BIG CELEBRATION OF ART. The official schedule for the Merced Art Festival is finally here. From May 18th–24th, Downtown Merced will be filled with live mural painting, open studios, poetry nights, music jams, workshops, gallery openings, photography walks, DJs, performances, local business activations, and our massive Downtown Takeover on May 23rd. This week is all about showing what the Central Valley is capable of when artists, businesses, musicians, photographers, filmmakers, and the community come together. 🖼️ 5 large-scale murals 🎶 Live music + performances 📸 Photo walks + exhibitions 🎤 Poetry, dance, workshops + demos 🏙️ Downtown takeover with 40+ participating locations 🎟️ Most events are free + open to the public Swipe through the full schedule and start planning your week. Tag your people, save this post, and pull up to Downtown Merced.

What is Merced AF? 🎨 Starting May 18th, Downtown Merced transforms into a week-long art festival filled with live mural painting, photography, music, workshops, vendors, and community events leading into our big Downtown Takeover on May 23rd. This year we’re bringing: 🎨 5 large-scale murals 📸 Cien Photos featuring 100 Central Valley photographers 🚶 Mural Photo Walk 🏙️ 30+ downtown businesses participating simultaneously through our Merced Art Flop / Art Hop 🎶 Live music at Bob Hart Square featuring homegrown talent from Merced + the Central Valley All week long you’ll be able to walk through downtown and experience artists creating in real time. From murals going up on massive walls to workshops, galleries, live performances, and local businesses opening their spaces for art, this is all about bringing creativity into the open and giving the community something to experience together. Huge thank you to all the artists, downtown businesses, organizers, and community members helping make this happen. This is bigger than an event — it’s a moment for Merced. 📍 Downtown Merced 🗓️ May 18–24 🎟️ Free & open to the public

What even is Merced AF? 🎨 Starting May 18th, Downtown Merced transforms into a week long art festival filled with live mural painting, photography, music, workshops, vendors, and community events leading into our big Downtown Takeover on May 23rd. This year we’re bringing: 🎨 5 large-scale murals 📸 Cien Photos featuring 100 Central Valley photographers 🚶 Mural Photo Walk 🏙️ 30+ downtown businesses participating simultaneously through our Merced Art Flop / Art Hop 🎶 Live music at Bob Hart Square featuring homegrown talent from Merced All week long you’ll be able to walk through downtown and experience artists creating in real time. From murals going up on massive walls to workshops, galleries, live performances, and local businesses opening their spaces for art. This is all about bringing creativity into the open and giving the community something to experience together. Huge thank you to all the artists, downtown businesses, organizers, and community members helping make this happen. This is bigger than an event, it’s a moment for Merced. 📍 Downtown Merced 🗓️ May 18–24 🎟️ Free & open to the public

We had the privilege of working with @merced.af and printing their merch. What a creative bunch 👌🏾🤜🏾 #merced #mercedaf #mercedartfestival

o_0 - @merced.af is going to be ✨️✨️✨️

Hello, my name is Kaitlyn Benz and I am an artist in Atwater, California. I create a lot of different types of artwork ranging from physical canvas/sketch art, digital media, and jewelry pieces. I like creating pieces that are a journey to look at aka psychadelic art lol. I love patterns and lots of colors. If my art doesn't look like a rainbow threw up on it then it is not my artwork! I am coming to Merced af on May 23rd from 5pm-9pm. I would love it if yall came and checked me out. I'll have a lot of my favorite pieces on display as well as brand new pieces. Hope to see yall there! :)

JUNK JOURNALING | This week is @merced.af Join me at the MAC @mercedcountyarts ✏️Friday, May 22 from 6-8 pm Merced Multicultural Arts Center 645 W. Main Street Downtown Merced, CA 95340 🎫All supplies will be provided in addition to the journal/kit with get with your supplies fee, we will have magazine, stickers, pens, scissors, etc. 📖You are also welcome to bring your own journal to use and also your own junk (photos, clippings, receipts, postcards, ticket stubs).🎟️ 🔗 Link in bio. Please reserve your seat; there is a supplies fee ($10) and you will get a journal and kit too. 📖✏️

BIG UPDATE: (for me and my town) :o

I’ll be live painting @merced.af Working on a panel next to @mchcc209 Picture of me painting @julietsnb

May 23rd @thirdeye_tattoo_ is taking over @cienojosstudio for @merced.af Come through for live painting, music, and vendors 5 pm - 9 pm. Artists @lucci_arts @bakon_one Music @djadept209 @bboyvdl209 Aristomatik Vendors @celestialvix @pxelcat_ @delias_doodles

idk if you heard but… EarthWorks ClaySpace @earthworksclayspace is bringing their magic to Luna Luna 209!!! join us outside Luna Luna 209 to close out the @merced.af weekend with hands-on art! admire and learn more about pottery & ceramics, and even give it a spin ⋆˚꩜｡ Sunday May 24th ⭑ 12pm-5pm Luna Luna 209 ⭑ 1731 Canal St in Downtown Merced

Merced Art Festival (AF) is taking over Downtown Merced May 18–23 🎨 All week long, 5 large-scale murals will be painted live across downtown while workshops, demos, junk journaling, poetry slams, gallery exhibits, and more pop up throughout the district. Then come back Saturday May 23rd for the big day 🎉 🎶 Live music at Bob Hart Square 📸 Photo walk with @centralvalleyfilmclub 🎨 30+ businesses activated at the same time with artists, vendors, exhibits, and experiences happening all across downtown Check out @merced.af for more deets and a schedule of it all! 🫶🏽✨ Make the trip and plan to stay for the weekend… you’re not gonna wanna miss this. Are you Merced AF? 👀 Let us know in the comments if you’ll be making it.