Local artists and businesses are invited to help transform the City’s public spaces and enhance its cultural vibrancy through wall-art murals, decorative lighting installations and façade restoration.

Vibrant Parramatta offers property owners seeking to improve the visual appeal of their commercial or heritage building facades, and artists looking to make their mark on the City with spectacular artwork an opportunity to create a lively space in local neighbourhoods.

City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Martin Zaiter said some of the world’s most famous street art murals are found in global cities including Berlin and New York and the program will help position Parramatta as a destination for arts and culture.

“Vibrant Parramatta is about elevating our City and local neighbourhoods with vibrant, bold and inspirational art murals, creative lighting and façade restorations that reflects our rich heritage and diverse community spirit,” Cr Zaiter said.

“Parramatta is a melting pot of cultures, it’s what makes our City so attractive to visitors from near and far, from family-run businesses to local hidden gems – we want people to experience the unique stories of our community through art and culture no matter where they are travelling from.”

This year, Council will invest up to $40,000 towards different categories to support creative and improvement projects within the City:

• Wall-art mural: Up to $40,000 for medium to large-scale creative artwork on walls
• Decorative lighting: Up to $20,000 for lighting installations
• Façade restoration: Up to $20,000 for aesthetic enhancements such as painting the front of buildings
• Heritage restorations: Up to $20,000 for preserving or restoring heritage buildings

Rydalmere Bakery and Café owner, Jacinta Nader bakes delicious sweet and savoury pastries daily from her family-owned business on Brodie Street and said the large-scale mural created by Claire Foxton with Blank Wall Collective is now a proud symbol of the local neighbourhood.

“The mural is so vibrant and eye-catching that people often walk in just to ask about it – who the artist is, how it came to be, and to admire the colours up close. We’ve even had people spot it from the bridge and take a detour just to see what’s down here,” Ms Nader said.

“It’s created a real sense of curiosity and excitement. With more young families moving into the area, it’s lovely to see parents and kids stopping to admire the mural, even from across the road during their walks.

“It’s helped build our clientele, turning first-time visitors into loyal customers and even more importantly, the mural has sparked a sense of pride in Rydalmere. It’s more than just artwork—it’s a reflection of the vibrant, growing community we’re proud to be a part of.”

Western Sydney artist Christina Huynh, known as STYNA professionally, created a ‘Lake Parra’ art mural as part of a project for Parramatta Lanes in 2023 said she has always considered Parramatta home.

“Working alongside Reubszz and Sam Absurd for our murals in Phillip Lane was an enjoyable and memorable experience, especially since I have lived, studied and work in the area,” Ms Huynh said.

“I love to share work that is close to me, which is why I chose to feature Lake Parramatta in the mural, it’s a hidden gem in the middle of a thriving city and teeming with robust native flora and curious fauna like the superb Fairy Wren pictured in the mural.

“My family and I have shared so many special memories over the years however bushwalking is one of my favourite things to do here so in my mural, I wanted to highlight the importance of reconnecting with nature when life gets busy and overwhelming.”

STYNA is currently working on a new picture book from her studio at the Western Sydney Start-up Hub in North Parramatta.

Applications are open until 12pm on Tuesday 7 October 2025.

To apply or for more information, visit Council’s website.