Clarion Alley Street Art

Walk down this narrow alley connecting Valencia and Mission Streets and you’ll be surrounded by dozens of colorful murals by local artists depicting environmental and social justice, artistic freedom, and community collaboration. Funded by the nonprofit Intersection for the Arts, more than 700 murals have been painted in this vibrant display of public art since CAMP began in 1992. In a city known for its rising rents and gentrification—and especially in the Mission neighborhood at its epicenter—Clarion Alley is a sight worth visiting.

The Clarion Alley Mural Project is an amazing collection of street art, all gathered in one narrow street between Mission and Valencia. The project has brought together local and international artists to leave their marks on both sides of the street, with some stunning overlaps and witty combinations of real and illusory worlds.

Clarion Alley is a little alley tucked away in the heart of the mission that’s become a canvas for artists to showcase their skills. Decorated with intricate pieces of graffiti, this spot is a concentrated corridor of street art. Just step off Valencia Street between 17th & 18th and take in a free art show. Be warned: there may be vagrants sitting or wandering around, and it may smell somewhat like urine. So breathe through your mouth and keep your wits about you!

Take a turn down Clarion Alley in the Mission District of San Francisco, and you are at once blown away by one of the city’s most creative and vibrant public art scenes. Organized and run by a group of devoted artists, the Clarion Alley Mural Project (CAMP) has transformed the alley into a core of artistic expression. Ranging from pure beauty, to social protest, to the surreal and even humorous, the colorful murals are an ever changing and evolving reflection of the city itself. San Francisco is a city whose essence has always been rooted in freedom, rebellion and individual expression. In Clarion Alley street artists and muralists find a living, breathing canvas on which to share their stories, its transient nature keeping it fresh, innovative and inspiring. Recently I met one of the artists, Chor Boogie, who was in Miami working on another mural during Art Basel. I mentioned my upcoming trip to San Francisco, and he suggested I stop by Clarion Alley to see one of his pieces, an intense and abstract explosion of color and emotion titled ‘Opium Horizons’ (above, left). I had no idea the visual experience that was in store for me when I arrived. Covering walls, fences, garage doors, and even the street itself, the Clarion Alley Mural Project is a definite must when visiting San Francisco, whether you’re a die hard fan of street art or just enjoy experiencing a city’s creative and artistic core. Clarion Alley is between Valencia and Mission Steets just south of 17th St.

Visiting the cool murals and graffiti at Clarion Alley in San Francisco. It’s cutting graffiti, murals and even fine art at this fun alley in the heart of trendy Valencia in the Mission district of San Francisco. If you love cool street art, visit Clarion Alley

The San Francisco Mission district is full of street art. Most of it explores the neighborhood’s rich Latino history. But Clarion Alley has murals of a different sort. The messages in the alley are more modern and very political. In the image below, you can see a message protesting the gentrification of the Mission and all along the alley you will see messages about recent elections, affordable housing and inclusion. There is a muralists code to the alley and an artist will “own” a spot until they choose to give it up to another muralist. So some pieces stay up for many years while other spots turn over. So even if you’ve been before, you should consider returning the the alley to see what’s up. The alley is easy to get to from the 16th st BART station.

The San Francisco Mission district is full of street art. Most of it explores the neighborhood’s rich Latino history. But Clarion Alley has murals of a different sort. The messages in the alley are more modern and very political. As you can see in the image, a message protesting the gentrification of the Mission and all along the alley you will see messages about recent elections, affordable housing and inclusion. There is a muralist’s code to the alley and an artist will “own” a spot until they choose to give it up to another muralist. So some pieces stay up for many years while other spots turn over. So even if you’ve been before, you should consider returning the the alley to see what’s up. The alley is easy to get to from the 16th street BART station.