A Mural Festival Celebrating Artists from the Deaf Community
September 18-20, 2026
NoBo Arts District
Boulder, Colorado
Photo by Armando Geneyro
Photo by Armando Geneyro
The mission of the KissFist Mural Fest is threefold:
1) To celebrate Deaf culture through the arts.
2) To pay mural artists a fair wage for their work.
3) To create a temporary ‘third space’ that is fun, family friendly, and accessible to people with disabilities.
Applications Close June 1st
KissFist Mural Fest is a volunteer run, non-profit festival that is free to the public.
The majority of every donation goes to paying artists from the Deaf community.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Apply! Our applications open on April 25th. Follow our social media or sign up for our newsletter for additional opportunity announcements, including our artist market vendor call.
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September 18 - 20th, 2026 at the NoBo Arts District in Boulder, Colorado.
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A ‘third space’ refers to a space outside of the home (the ‘first space’) and outside the workplace or school (the ‘second space’).
It is a place where a community can gather to connect and chat. Examples: Deaf clubs, coffee shops, bars, etc.
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No. All mural artists must be part of the Deaf community - this includes artists who identify as D/deaf, DeafBlind, HoH, Coda, or Goda.
Hearing artists are welcome to attend the festival and participate in the various free activities we will have!
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Yes! This festival is open to everyone. Come and enjoy live art making, shop the art market, have some coffee, and make new friends.
The language of the festival is American Sign Language (ASL). Interpreters will be on site during programming for attendees who do not use ASL.
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Email KissFistMural Fest@gmail.com
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Kate Fitzpatrick is an artist and Coda based in Colorado. She has participated in several mural festivals throughout the state, which is where she got the inspiration to start KissFist Mural Festival. She is an alumni of the 2024-25 Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA) Leadership Arts Cohort.
Image Description: An artist stands at her mural while glancing over her shoulder and signing with a festival attendee.
Photo by Armando Geneyro
"The 2025 festival created a beautiful sense of unity. People watching me paint told me they felt 'more human' and 'lively' just being there.
As a Deaf artist, being able to share my love of art with the community and see that immediate happiness was a gift."
- Ellen Mansfield, 2025 Mural Artist
“This festival allowed me to see what I'm capable of and made a difference in my self esteem as an artist.”
- Kari Bingham, 2025 Mural Artist