Paint the Town: Ravenswood Neighbors Get to Vote on the Neighborhood's Newest Public Mural

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Ravenswood · July 6, 2026

Ravenswood is about to get a colorful new landmark — and the community gets to help design it. The south-facing brick exterior of Foremost Cleaners, located at the corner of Damen and Leland in the heart of the neighborhood, has been selected as the canvas for Ravenswood's next major public mural project. The Ravenswood Community Council and 47th Ward Alderman Matt Martin have put out a call for local artists to submit designs — and once the finalists are in, neighbors will have a direct say in which vision gets painted onto the wall.

This kind of community-led public art initiative is exactly what makes Ravenswood tick. The Damen and Leland corridor is already a beloved gathering point, and a bold new mural there promises to deepen the neighborhood's identity as a hub of creativity and local expression. It joins a growing legacy of public art that makes Ravenswood's streets as visually rich as its brewery corridors and industrial makers' spaces.

At the same time, the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce has been busy listening to residents on another front: GRCC recently surveyed local business owners and 400 residents to better understand community concerns around proposed CTA and Metra transit cuts — a sign that neighborhood advocacy is alive and well heading into summer. Stay connected to both initiatives at ravenswoodchicago.org, and keep your eyes on that Damen and Leland wall!

Sources:
1. https://ravenswoodchicago.org/category/updates-alerts/
2. https://ravenswoodchicago.org/category/community-news/