From Eight Murals to an Official Art District in the Heart of Kingston, Jamaica
Downtown Kingston’s mural project began with eight works on Water Lane. An eight-day festival in December will bring exhibitions, mural walks and a street celebration to the Jamaican capital.
Eight murals on Water Lane started it. Now there are more than 100 public artworks across downtown Kingston, and the neighborhood has an official designation to go with them.
The Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation voted to establish the Downtown Kingston Art District, according to the announcement. The vote formalizes a project that began in 2017 and has since grown to include guided walks, festivals and murals that stretch beyond Water Lane.
We first reported on Kingston Creative’s plans for an art district in 2018, when the Jamaican government pledged support for the project. By 2022, the nonprofit’s work had become a central part of the creative revival we covered in downtown Kingston. Today, the mural program features work by Jamaican and international artists, and some of the pieces incorporate augmented reality.
Start on Water Lane
Water Lane is still the place to begin. Kingston Creative offers a guided Mural Artwalk tour, and its district map lets you follow the artworks on your own. You can pair the walk with a stop at the National Gallery of Jamaica, just across from the ROK Hotel Kingston near the waterfront. The gallery and the murals are close enough to see in the same afternoon.
An Eight-Day Festival in December
The inaugural Kingston International Festival runs Dec. 6–13, 2026. Produced by Kingston Creative, it will extend beyond the district, with exhibitions and events in galleries, studios and other venues across the capital. The program spans visual art, fashion, film, literature, dance and music.
Downtown will be part of both ends of the festival. The schedule includes an opening event at the National Gallery of Jamaica, mural walks during the week and a closing Jonkonnu street festival along the Artwalk. The Reggae Marathon is also on the program.
Outside festival week, you can start where the first eight murals went up and follow the district map through downtown. Kingston Creative also offers a virtual tour if you want to see some of the works before you go.
