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Cuba’s National Mural Day
It’s official! Viva Cuba is the founder of National Mural Day. Starting in 2025, the last Saturday in June will be celebrated as National Mural Day across the country and here in Crawford County.
Viva Cuba started the mural project in 2001 with its first mural to commemorate Peoples Bank 100th anniversary. The project was so successful it created a movement for additional murals. Now, over two decades later with 15 murals, the art still makes an impact!
Murals are everywhere in Cuba, not just outside. The ubiquitous art is in the grocery store, truck stop, history museum, restaurants, and countless other spots around town.
What is National Mural Day?
A special day to celebrate and draw attention to murals everywhere! On June 28, 2025 Cuba celebrates the first ever National Mural Day with an official Cuba Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting ceremony.
- It all starts with the National Days Calendar®, a source for unusual and unique celebrations throughout the year.
- Since National Popocorn Day in 2013, the National Days Calendar is the first calendar of its kind to curate these special days all in one place.
- The National Days Calendar has been mentioned on more than 20,000 media outlets, including The Today Show, Good Morning America, Jimmy Kimmel, CNN, Fox and Friends, and CBS Sunday Morning.
- Many media outlets rely on the National Day Calendar website for story ideas.
How did Cuba’s Murals get recognized?
The idea was a suggestion by a former Cuba resident, Bill Gunn to Viva Cuba’s Chairperson, Jill Barnett. From there, Viva Cuba volunteers submitted a proposal for National Mural Day on the last Saturday in June. The National Days Calendar team deemed Cuba’s Mural Day submission worthy of the annual calendar.
Cuba’s National Mural Day submission was selected from nearly 30,000 annual submissions. From these submissions, only about 20 per year make it to the calendar. Viva Cuba’s passion for the mural project was evident in the submission. The National Days Calendar selection committee agreed!
The National Mural Day designation appears in the 2026 National Days Calendar and also on NationalDaysCalendar.com. The annual celebration falls on the last Saturday of June nationwide. With the support of the Cuba Chamber of Commerce and Cuba Tourism, Viva Cuba’s mural project is now a national day of celebration.
Shelly Smith Steiger-Mural Artist
Why is National Mural Day important?
National Mural Day is a vibrant ode to the power of art to transform ugly spaces into beautiful places. From bustling city streets to quaint neighborhoods, murals enrich surroundings with color, culture, and creativity. Murals bring artists, travelers, and communities together to celebrate the benefits of public art.
Recognize the Artist
Additionally, this day recognizes and honors the artists who paint murals. These talented people dedicate time and energy to create meaningful works that endure the test of time.
Celebrate Artistic Expression
National Mural Day celebrates diversity of artistic expression. […]
THE MURALS OF CUBA, MISSOURI
WHAT IS VIVA CUBA?
In 1984, Viva Cuba, Inc. organized with the goal of beautifying Cuba to attract new industries and jobs. Many groups and individuals worked together in the early days to landscape Highway 19 and make it a more attractive entrance to Cuba.
In 1987, Viva Cuba became the first Adopt-A-Highway site in the state Over the years, planting continued, cleanup projects went forward, banners took their places in the community, and in the ’90s the Viva Cuba Garden, which has been enhanced, became a part of the four-way Hwy. 19 and Route 66 intersection. These efforts continue with maintenance and further improvements.
In 2001, Viva Cuba implemented a major project of commissioning 12 outdoor murals by Cuba’s 150th anniversary in 2007. Organizations and individuals supported Viva Cuba’s efforts and helped the organization reach its goal. Today Viva Cuba maintains 14 murals and Cuba is known as “Route 66 Mural City”. Since 2012, Cuba has been a Tree City USA Community.
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