The Outdoor Art Explorer.

A mural honoring jazz great Billy Strayhorn has been completed in downtown Hillsborough, North Carolina. Max Dowdle, the artist behind the mural, worked with Volume Records co-owner Tony Lopez on the design for the mural, which they named “Take the A Train”, one of Strayhorn’s most well-known compositions.

The mural was sponsored by the Hillsborough Tourism Development Authority and the Hillsborough Arts Council. According to Stevens, since the mural adorns a building located inside Hillsborough’s Historic District, it had to be approved by the Historic District Commission.

Quoted from Billystrayhorn.com

Love Hillsborough community art project was created by the Orange County Arts Commission with mosaic artist Carlos González García to celebrate community and love during the COVID-19 pandemic. Community members created more than 150 heart mosaics from home which were then installed together in Downtown Hillsborough. You can go see the mural yourself, located behind Weaver St. Market in the Eno Parking Deck just off the Hillsborough River Walk.

More than just a frame shop, Studio 71 often will have an outdoor display of art and collections.

Drop by the Hillsborough Visitor Center to take a photo with the beloved HEARTy the Pig. A work of art created by Steven Ray Miller, the pig finds a home near the gardens of the historic Alexander Dickson House.

In 2016, Hillsborough became the 35^th city to be named a Bee City USA. With that title comes a commitment to building healthy habitats for pollinators and raising awareness of the benefits of pollinators in the community. Dedicated in November 2017, the bee hotel provides a home for the 90 species of bees native to the area, many of which live solitary lives and seek a safe, tunnel-like dwelling to lay eggs and care for their young.

Adding a splash of color to Hillsborough’s vibrant streets, the Hillsborough mural gives a warm welcome to residents and visitors. As the second mural to grace the historic downtown, its vivid hues and expansive canvas turn the streets into a kaleidoscope of fun, radiating a contagious energy that mirrors the town’s flourishing art and culture scene.

Read more about the project HERE.

Take a stroll on the town hall lawn, and there you’ll find the whimsical “Perpetual Bond” – a reclaimed steel sculpture stealing the spotlight with its adorable depiction of a mother and child giraffe duo. It’s a playful masterpiece in the heart of Hillsborough!