A new pop-up park in Hyattsville’s Arts District called “The Spot,” which will hold its first outdoor community event at the end of this month, will soon feature one of the Route 1 corridor’s first Black Lives Matter murals.

The mural, which will be visible from the south end of the Rhode Island Avenue Trolley Trail near the Franklins underpass, is currently being prepped for a blank wall on three vacant lots at 4305, 4505 and 4508 Hamilton St., a temporary gathering space called The Spot.

It will be painted by Isak Shah, a painter and illustrator who manages Artist & Craftsman Supply in Hyattsville, and illustrator Darren Soto.

Shah told the Hyattsville Wire that while they are keeping the exact design under wraps for now, the mural will feature a lot of portraits and it will tie into “the rich history of Prince George’s County.”

“Art has long been a medium through which people can express and learn about history and present injustices,” she said. “It’s a matter of course that Black life is important, and that enough can’t be said on the subject.”

The two plan to prime the wall, draw the layout of the mural on a grid with wax pencils, apply base layers of exterior acrylic paint with rollers and brushes and finish it with spray paint.

It is being sponsored by the Anacostia Trails Heritage Area, the city of Hyattsville, Sohy Co-op, Artist & Craftsman Supply and Will’s Decorating.

The Spot will hold its first community event on July 31, from 4-8 p.m. to unveil the new outdoor space and introduce Shah and Soto. The event will feature live music, food and retail vendors.

Meanwhile, you can donate to support “The Spot,” which is raising money to help cover the costs to add more public art to the space and expand its public events. You can make a donation here.

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