The World Street Painting Festival, Route 66, will be held June 4-7, 2025, in Joplin, Missouri.
Visit Joplin, the city’s tourism marketing effort is preparing for the second year of street painting, Joplin’s signature event celebrating the Route 66 Centennial.
In 2024, through a partnership with the Netherlands-based World Street Painting Foundation (WSP), three USA-based street painting artists created amazing works of art, marking the start of the Mother Road centennial celebration. Their works are still displayed outside the Harry M. Cornell Entertainment and Arts Complex. That introductory event connected Route 66 with 3D street art. The World Street Painting Festival is where art comes to life in front of an audience on the street. Then, as someone places themselves upon the artwork created by the great international artists, through a camera lens, that person and the art become one.
In 2024, through a partnership with the Netherlands-based World Street Painting Foundation (WSP), three USA-based street painting artists created amazing works of art, marking the start of the Mother Road centennial celebration. Their works are still displayed outside the Harry M. Cornell Entertainment and Arts Complex. That introductory event connected Route 66 with 3D street art. The World Street Painting Festival is where art comes to life in front of an audience on the street. Then, as someone places themselves upon the artwork created by the great international artists, through a camera lens, that person and the art become one.
The partnership was formed to create, develop, and hold a one-of-a-kind centennial celebration in the form of 3D street painting festivals. In addition to the three existing pieces, creations from 10 artists will be added in 2025 and 20 more in 2026. In the end, 33 pieces will become the world’s largest collection of 3D street paintings in one community. The artwork will be preserved through 2027, the end of the Route 66 centennial celebrations.
“2025 also marks the 10th anniversary of the World Street Painting Foundation”, according to Mike Kothuis. “The foundation has set the goal of making public spaces more beautiful and bringing art close to people worldwide.” The WSP holds similar festivals in Germany and the Netherlands. Joplin’s Route 66 festival is currently their only US project.
The tentative artists include:
• Jean-Marc Navello, France
• Tracy Lee Stum, USA
• Ruben Poncia, The Netherlands
• Melina Berg, Germany
• Canaco Matsumoto, Japan
• Jan Riggins, USA
• Fabio Fedele, Italy
• Kerim Musanovic, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Leon Keer, The Netherlands
• Roberto Carlos Trevino Rodriguez, Mexico
• Tracy Lee Stum, USA
• Ruben Poncia, The Netherlands
• Melina Berg, Germany
• Canaco Matsumoto, Japan
• Jan Riggins, USA
• Fabio Fedele, Italy
• Kerim Musanovic, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Leon Keer, The Netherlands
• Roberto Carlos Trevino Rodriguez, Mexico
The Joplin Convention and Visitors Bureau, with the Joplin Celebrations Commission, Joplin Parks and Recreation, and members of the Joplin Arts community, in conjunction with regional Route 66 partners, have collaborated to develop this event series. Street Painting is a performance art that renders artistic designs on the pavement with semi-permanent materials such as chalk or paint.
3D Art is the expression of applying the dimensions of height, width, and depth, allowing the audience to interact with the art.
3D Art is the expression of applying the dimensions of height, width, and depth, allowing the audience to interact with the art.
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
June 4, Wednesday Site prep/Painting
June 5, Thursday Painting
June 6, Friday Painting
June 7, Saturday Opening
June 4, Wednesday Site prep/Painting
June 5, Thursday Painting
June 6, Friday Painting
June 7, Saturday Opening
This event appreciates the support of the Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission.
