McKnight Announces Leslie Barlow as First Muralist for New Public Art Series | Minneapolis College of Art and Design

McKnight Announces Leslie Barlow as First Muralist for New Public Art Series

May 15, 2026
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McKnight Foundation's HQ, "New Mural Coming Soon!"

The McKnight Foundation has announced a major new public art initiative, unveiling plans for a rotating mural series at its Minneapolis headquarters beginning with a large-scale work by local artist Leslie Barlow ’16, MFA.

The new series will transform the building’s south-facing exterior wall, a nearly sixty-foot-wide space, into a highly visible public canvas. A new mural will be commissioned every three years, highlighting the work of Minnesota artists and culture bearers. For its inaugural installation, the opportunity was offered exclusively to current and former McKnight Artist and Culture Bearer Fellows.

Barlow, a two-time McKnight Visual Artist Fellow (2019 and 2025), was selected through a collaborative process with Forecast Public Art. Her work is known for exploring themes of community, care, and lived experience, using visual storytelling to reflect shared cultural connections and personal histories.

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