Washington, DC

(Washington, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser celebrated DC’s iconic culture and music by unveiling a new Go-Go mural at the District’s “Go-Go music corner” at 7th and Florida Avenue, NW. Department of Public Works (DPW) Interim Director Christine Davis, and Commission on the Arts & Humanities (CAH) Executive Director Heran Sereke-Brhan joined the community at the unveiling ceremony.

“We close out our 14th season of MuralsDC in the midst of 202Creates with a fitting mural – an installation that uplifts DC culture and DC creatives,” said Mayor Bowser. “The message at 7th and Florida couldn’t be clearer – you can’t and won’t mute DC. Go-Go is DC and DC is Go-Go.”

The new mural, which abuts the CVS parking lot and The Shay apartment building, is directly across from the building where Go-Go music plays daily. The mural, painted by local artist Kaliq Crosby, features a young boy on percussion. It is a throwback to Go-Go’s early roots, when local youth would beat out a Go-Go rhythm on empty 5-gallon plastic jugs. Crosby’s mural is the first of three distinct works of art to be featured on the wall. Another section is currently being painted by frequent MuralsDC artist Aniekan Udofia, whose work is sponsored, in part, by Shaw Mainstreets.

“It has been over a year since legislation declared Go-Go the official music of DC and I’m happy to see that it continues to be celebrated,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations and Infrastructure Lucinda Babers. “I’m particularly excited that DPW’s MuralsDC program unveiled the mural on this corner at the heart of Go-Go culture and where the ‘Don’t Mute DC’ Go-Go movement began.”

Two years ago, the Go-Go music that boomed from the front of 1915 7th Street halted after complaints from some in the community. This sparked an instantaneous response from community activists and a pop-up Go-Go concert at 14th and U Streets NW, which drew thousands of Go-Go fans. “Don’t Mute DC” activists Ron Moten, Natalie Hopkinson, and Donald Campbell who has deejayed the “Go-Go Corner” for 26 years, also attended today’s event.

“This mural is one of nearly a dozen MuralsDC projects in Wards 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8 this year,” said DPW Director Davis, “When all three sections of the wall are complete, it will be an 80-foot-long tribute to DC culture that will celebrate parts of our history and provide a glimpse into our future.”

“This season has been a true celebration of the DC spirit,” said CAH Executive Director Heran Sereke-Brhan. “We kicked it off with a mural in support of the natural and protective hair styles worn by so many in our community and are closing out with a celebration of our music. There is a common thread of embracing our roots—literally and figuratively—throughout all of our 2021 murals.”

MuralsDC is funded by DPW with support by CAH. Since 2007, DC’s largest public mural program has complemented DPW’s mission to keep the District clean and beautiful by creating nearly 150 original works of art on walls in every ward of the city. Artists for the 2021 season were asked to touch on themes that reflected DC pride, social justice, statehood, and/or gender/racial equality. Their mural locations are as follows: