Veterans Alley
Many Veterans have Never had
the chance to tell their own story
until now!
The San Francisco Veterans Mural Project (Veterans Alley) is a community based mural project located in San Francisco's Tenderloin District. The project consists of murals, covering over 30,000 sq. feet of public facing walls in an alley, where veterans paint their own stories about the true reality of WAR and the military experience.
It was founded in October 2011, by Amos Gregory(aka LowKeyRider1) United States Navy Veteran and co-founder Gilbert Lovato, (aka Archangel of the Bay), a USMC veteran whom Mr. Gregory befriended while he was photographing homeless veterans in the San Francisco's Tenderloin District at night.
The murals of Veterans Alley are all done by U.S. military veterans, their supporters and the community-at-large.
The significance of this project is that veterans' stories are usually told by individual artists who themselves are not veterans.
Veterans Alley represents the first instance where veterans, through public artwork, have created a constant dialogue with the community by highlighting the reality of war and the military experience.
The object of the project is to create awareness, understanding and transformation in our community centered around the universal concept of PEACE and humanity.
Any veteran worldwide can propose, and create a mural telling their own stories. We supply all paints, brushes, sketch pads, and guidance as a we continue to welcome more veterans to Veterans Alley.
This project gives VOICE to the American veteran, and the community-at-large. The project allows for veterans tell their stories regardless of their discharge status, sexual orientation, length of service, branch of service, race, language or national origin.
"Veterans are the light at the tip of the candle, illuminating the way for the whole nation.
If Veterans can achieve awareness, transformation, understanding and peace, they can share with the rest of society the realities of war.
And they can teach us how to make peace with ourselves and each other, so we never have to use violence to resolve conflicts again"
- Thicht Nhat Hanh
About
The SF Vets mural project is an open project and welcomes any and all suggestions regarding our work. Any veteran can propose a mural and paint their own story in Veterans Alley.
We supply all the paints, brushes and guidance to the artist. As a matter of fact, most of our veteran artist have never painted murals before joining the project.
If you are a veteran and wish to paint a mural in Veterans Alley then please do not hesitate to contact us!!! Use the form below to send get in touch with us.
If you are a community member and wish to volunteer with us or are interested in creating a similar project in your neighborhood then we would be happy to discuss the possibilty of creating a similar project in your city. Our goal is to spread the HEALING that we have created in Veterans Alley around the globe. Once again, please use the contact form below to begin the conversation with us.
Take a walking tour of Veterans Alley !
Our work is public and therefore accessible everyday and every hour of the year. Please come and tour the alley and wonderful artwork we have created. Our first murals are located on the walls of 555 Geary Street, in the heart of San Francisco's wonderful Tenderloin District.