San Jose’s urban landscape is about to get a serious artistic upgrade this weekend. The San Jose Walls public art festival, now in its ninth year, is transforming the historic Japantown neighborhood into an open-air gallery that celebrates creativity, culture, and community resilience.

Produced by Empire Seven Studios, founded by Juan Carlos Araujo and Jennifer Ahn, the festival has been instrumental in turning blank walls into powerful canvases of expression. This year, six artist teams will descend on Japantown, each bringing their unique style and vision to transform urban spaces.

The festival kicks off with a retrospective exhibition at Empire Seven Studios, showcasing work from nearly 30 artists who have contributed to the city’s vibrant mural scene. Visitors can expect an exciting lineup, including Brooklyn artist Kevin Lyon, known for playful monster characters, and 123KLAN, a creative crew merging graffiti and graphic design.

The diversity of artists is striking: from California-based wire artist Spenser Little to husband-and-wife team Giorgiko, each brings a distinct perspective to public art. The festival isn’t just about painting walls, it’s about storytelling, community engagement, and reimagining urban spaces.

On June 7, art enthusiasts can participate in a neighborhood art walk from noon to 6 p.m., exploring about a dozen stops in Japantown. Locations like Roy’s Station, Know Future Gallery, and Cukui will showcase the festival’s artistic energy.

Araujo’s vision is clear: “We’ve helped create over 100 murals throughout San Jose, transforming once-blank walls into symbols of identity, culture, and resilience”. This year’s festival continues that powerful mission, using art as a tool for neighborhood transformation and cultural celebration.

For those eager to dive deeper, more details are available on the San Jose Walls website and Instagram page. Whether you’re a local art lover or just curious about urban creativity, this festival promises to be a vibrant celebration of San Jose’s artistic spirit.