Graffiti News
Southwest Michigan mural visits earn a $20 gift card
More than 30 artworks form a regional mural route
Visit Southwest Michigan has opened the 2026 season of the Southwest Michigan Murals Challenge, linking public art across Berrien and Cass counties in southwest Michigan. According to M Live Michigan’s May 4, 2026 report, participants can explore more than 30 artworks through March 31, 2027. The programme gives visitors a defined set of places to seek out across the two counties.
The appeal for mural followers is the chance to build a trip around several works instead of making a single stop. M Live Michigan describes the locations as offering different artistic styles and stories. That variety gives each visit a purpose beyond adding another check-in to a tally: visitors can compare how different works communicate through images and how they sit within their surroundings.
A regional challenge also changes the scale of a mural outing. Choosing several locations turns individual encounters with public art into a route through different communities. The connections between those stops become part of the experience, while each artwork still deserves time on its own.
Ten different check-ins qualify for the gift card
Participants earn a $20 St. Joe Today gift card by checking in at 10 different mural locations using the Visit Southwest Michigan app. M Live Michigan reports that participants upload photographs of themselves at each site to record their progress. The reward therefore depends on visits to distinct locations and on completing the programme’s photo-based check-in process.
For trip planning, the distinction between photographing a mural and recording a qualifying visit matters. A photograph of the artwork alone does not match the process described in the report, which specifies photographs showing participants at the mural sites. Visitors should review the app’s instructions before setting out so that the images they take serve both their personal record and their challenge participation.
The requirement also gives a practical shape to an itinerary. Rather than counting repeated visits to a favourite wall, participants need to identify 10 separate locations. The full selection of more than 30 artworks leaves room to choose which stops fit a particular trip.
The deadline allows day trips and weekend itineraries
The challenge runs through March 31, 2027, giving visitors a period in which to plan mural outings around their own schedules. M Live Michigan presents the programme as a year-round activity suited to day trips and weekend getaways. Visitors can consider the distance between their chosen stops when deciding how much to include in an outing.
Visit Southwest Michigan also encourages people to combine mural visits with beaches, restaurants, shops and seasonal events, according to the report. For public-art viewers, those surrounding places can help give a mural stop a broader sense of location. Spending time nearby allows the visit to include the community around the work as well as the painted surface.
Marcy Simpson, executive director of Visit Southwest Michigan, described the challenge as a way to bring visitors outdoors to discover communities and experience public art. That tourism purpose is clear in the structure: artworks provide the points of interest, while the route invites movement between different places.
Start with the app and plan time to look
The Visit Southwest Michigan app is the starting point for participation, and the report directs readers to swmichigan.org/murals for further details. Checking the programme information before choosing a route helps connect the visit itself with the required check-ins. The app is also where participants record the progress described by M Live Michigan.
A useful mural itinerary leaves time for looking as well as taking the required photograph. Comparing colour, composition and the relationship between a work and its immediate setting can make the differences between stops more noticeable. Personal photographs or brief notes can help visitors remember those differences after the route is complete.
For people who already follow public art, the challenge offers a clear framework for exploring an area through its murals. The gift card supplies an incentive, but the individual works remain the reason to stop. You can also explore nearby street art on Wallscape’s map; challenge participation and qualifying check-ins use the Visit Southwest Michigan app.
Source: M Live Michigan