Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Art returns to a familiar wall on Avenue C

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Work continues on a new mural on the southwest corner of Avenue C and Sixth Street, where art is returning to this single-level structure. 

The project, led by Thrive Collective's Murals Art Director, Marissa Molina, is described as a "celebration of the neighborhood."
Also contributing is NYC-based artist OuterSource (below left)... with Molina and Thrive Collective Executive Director Jeremy R. Del Rio.
The mural is part of a 2026 Public Realm grant awarded by the city's Department of Small Business Services to Thrive Collective. Last November, organizers hosted a community gathering at the Lower East Side/Chinatown Family Enrichment Center to help inform the mural's design.

The wall previously featured the long-running "Alphabet City" mural, which lasted nearly 11 years before falling into disrepair and being repeatedly tagged. It was painted over last summer. The building wall has been a frequent target of vandalism in recent years.

Thrive originated in 1996 on the Lower East Side as a youth center in NYC Public Housing serving primarily Hispanic youth. Today, Thrive Collective partners with schools and communities across the city on mural and arts education projects, connecting artists with students and local residents. Read more about their work here. 

Here's an in-progress look... work will continue for the next few weeks, weather permitting...
The work will officially be unveiled during the Loisaida Festival on May 24.

The group is also creating a mural celebrating Earth Day at Bracetti Plaza on the corner of Avenue C and Third Street.

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3 comments:

  1. AnonymousApril 21, 2026 at 9:30 AM

    Shitty destructive tags, incoming in 3-2-1-

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousApril 22, 2026 at 2:04 PM

      I hope not. Isn’t there like a code of ethics in the graffiti community?

      Delete
    2. AEvillApril 22, 2026 at 8:41 PM

      There are sealants that would make the shitty tags easier to remove. I don't know why people/landlords don't do more to protect their buildings from this shit. Oh...they are huge companies that don't care. It really is a blemish on the neighborhood and is much worse now than before the pandemic. Ugly and gross.

      Delete

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