Community unites around new mural at Edmonton’s Kirk Centre
A new mural by Edmonton artist Jamelle Davis was unveiled at the Kirk Centre
The Kirk Centre mural.
A new mural celebrating diversity and inclusion was unveiled at Edmonton’s Kirk Centre in October, transforming the former church into a colourful community landmark.
The mural, created by Edmonton artist Jamelle Davis, was completed in nine days and features bold geometric shapes and faces inspired by the building’s stained-glass windows and the surrounding neighbourhood.
“This mural represents so much more than just colours on a wall,” said Kirk Centre executive director Sally-Anne Woolnough.
“It captures the heart of the Kirk community and what Kirk Centre stands for, which is diversity, inclusivity, community, and equity,” she said.
The project was funded through an ethnocultural grant from the Government of Alberta, which helped turn the once-plain wall building into what Woolnough referred to as “a symbol of what happens when creativity and community come together.”
Davis, who runs JD Art, said his goal was to create something that felt authentic to both the space and the people in it.
“Diversity, man, I’m a diverse guy, so I find it pretty easy to do,” Davis said of his time working on the mural. Davis wanted the community to feel seen without thinking of the mural as solely a statement of inclusion, but rather a way to start a conversation.
Community members and former congregation attendees gathered for the unveiling, with some noting how the mural bridges the sites history as a United Church with its new identity as a multi-use community hub.
“It honours the heritage of the building but also represents the future and what it’s become and what it hopes to be in the community,” said Chloe Burns, a staff member with the Northern Spirit Regional Council who used to work out of the Kirk Centre.
The unveiling ended with warm beverages, cookies, and a newfound sense of community at the Kirk Centre.
