In a region known for its open skies and river views, the Hudson Valley has also become a destination for something more urban: walls that speak. From the O+ Festival murals that animate Kingston to stand-alone works by artists like Brian Zickafoose, Lady Pink, and Franc Palaia, public art has reshaped streetscapes across the Valley. Newburgh, long a city of layered histories and visual drama, continues that tradition with a newly unveiled mural at 86 Broadway.
Celebrated on February 6 with a community gathering at DMU Music Store, the mural is the latest addition to Downtown Newburgh’s growing constellation of public art. The project was organized by the Orange County NY Arts Council in collaboration with Orange County Government and supported by Orange County Tourism and Film.
Designed and hand-painted by Newburgh-based muralist Grace Vazquez, the work honors the city’s cultural heritage, history, and waterfront community. Vazquez is known locally for her large-scale public pieces, and here she brings a bold, saturated palette to a composition anchored by a central female figure. The figure overlooks a landscape that blends architectural references and waterfront imagery, standing in as a symbol of the diverse voices and resilience that define Newburgh.
The mural was fabricated and installed by Fabhaus, a Liberty Street–based design and fabrication studio, underscoring the hyperlocal nature of the project. Even in execution, the work remains rooted in the city it represents.
“This mural is a powerful reflection of Newburgh’s identity—past, present, and future,” says Brandi McLendon, Director of Programming & Operations at the Orange County NY Arts Council, at the unveiling. “Public art not only beautifies our shared spaces, but also tells the stories of the people who live here.”
The installation marks the culmination of the Newburgh Latino Heritage Mural Initiative, launched by DMU Music Store owner Rene Campos and championed by the Campos family alongside former Orange County Legislator Kevindaryán Luján. The initiative seeks to uplift Latino heritage through highly visible public art in downtown Newburgh, embedding representation into the everyday fabric of the city.
For Amanda Dana, Director of Orange County Tourism and Film, the project represents a model of civic collaboration. “We were thrilled to celebrate this vibrant new mural with the community,” she says, thanking the Campos family and Luján for their dedication in bringing the work to fruition.
As with many of the Hudson Valley’s murals, the piece at 86 Broadway functions on multiple levels. It enlivens a façade. It offers a point of pride. And it invites passersby to look up—away from their phones, toward a shared story painted large enough to belong to everyone.
