Institutional work asks for a different kind of attention. The goals are different, the process is different, and the impact carries differently long after the paint dries.
In a commercial space, a mural supports branding or sets a tone. In a school, it's something kids walk past every morning for years. In transitional housing, it's the backdrop to some of the hardest moments in someone's life. In a community center, it might be the first thing that tells someone this place is for them. And the research backs it up: a University of Pennsylvania study found that murals in Philadelphia reduced daytime crime by 42 percent, with effects lasting up to seven years. Neighborhoods with visible community investment saw 40 percent fewer violent crimes. Public art isn't just decoration. It changes how people feel in a space and how they act.
Over the past few years, we've painted murals for schools across LA County, residential shelters serving families in crisis, and community centers opening their doors for the first time. Each project taught us something about making work that's thoughtful, durable, and right for spaces that serve people day in and day out.
Schools: Every Day for Years
We recently completed our first LAUSD project at Marina Early Education Center. Butterflies, wildflowers, California coastal landscape. It's a mural for kids, and the imagery reflects that. But it's also built to last in a high-traffic environment where the wall needs to hold up against weather, touch, and time.
At El Monte High School, we did lettering work for a school celebrating 125 years, which is a different kind of project entirely. You're working within an existing visual identity, honoring a history that matters to the community. The goal isn't to make a statement. The goal is about precision.
School projects come with specific requirements. You're working around schedules, coordinating with administrators. Surface prep matters more because these walls see a lot of use. And the content has to be appropriate for the environment, which sounds obvious but requires real thought during the design phase.
Community Centers: Built for Belonging
We worked with DLR Group Architects on the Greater Whittier LGBTQ+ Center, a project funded through a $4.2 million state grant to transform a vacant county building into a community resource hub. The rainbow mural extends from the exterior into the reception area, reinforcing visibility from the street while creating continuity inside.
This was a collaboration in the real sense. The architects handled the overall design vision, including room naming after California LGBTQ+ public figures and the development of the center's branding and logo. Our job was execution: making sure the mural tied the exterior to the interior, that the colors held up against southern California sun, and that the finished product felt welcoming rather than institutional.
A lot of the people walking into a community center are doing so because they need help. The space should feel like it belongs to them, not like a government office with some paint on the walls.
Residential Shelters: Art That Does Something
The Whole Child operates residential shelters in LA County serving families experiencing homelessness, often mothers and fathers with children who have been through trauma. We painted murals at multiple locations throughout their facility, and these projects required a different approach than anything else we do.
The imagery had to be calming without being saccharine. Nature themes, elements of play, visual stories that suggest resilience without hitting anyone over the head with it. These walls are seen every day by people going through some of the hardest moments of their lives. The art can't fix that, but it can avoid making it worse. And at best, it can offer a small moment of something else.
We spent time talking with the staff before we started. Understanding who uses the space, what their days look like, what feelings the organization wanted the environment to support. That kind of conversation doesn't happen on a typical commercial project, but it should probably happen more often.
What Institutional Clients Should Know
If you're an architect, facility manager, or administrator thinking about mural work, here's what we've learned:
1. Lead time matters
Institutional projects may involve more stakeholders, more approvals, and more coordination than private commercial work. Starting the conversation early gives everyone room to get it right.
2. Surface prep is non-negotiable
Institutional buildings see heavy use. If the surface isn't properly prepared, the mural won't last. This is especially true for exterior work on older buildings where the substrate may have issues that aren't immediately visible.
3. Durability matters Institutional buildings see heavy use. We coat finished murals with Mural Shield to protect against wear, weather, and UV damage. If the wall itself needs repairs, that should be handled before we come in.
4. Content requires thought
What's appropriate for a production company isn't appropriate for an elementary school. This seems obvious, but the design process needs to account for who's using the space and how. A mural in a shelter has far different goals than a mural in a corporate lobby.
Collaboration works
Our best institutional projects have been ones where we worked closely with architects and designers who understood the space holistically. We bring the painting expertise, they bring the context.
Why We Do This Work
There's something about painting a wall that kids will see every day on their way to class, or that a family will see as they enter a new home. It's not about ego or making a splash. It's about contributing something to a space that serves a real purpose.
If you're working on a school, community center, healthcare facility, or shelter and thinking about incorporating murals or signage, we'd like to talk about how we could help.
