The Best Street Art in Astoria You’ve Been Missing: Welling Court Mural Project

Just over a year and a half ago, one of Queens’ most memorable landmarks disappeared overnight. In order to convert the large warehouse into new condos, Jerry Wolkoff, the owner of the beloved 5 Pointz, came under the cover of darkness to paint away the chameleonic aerosol murals that canvased the walls of 45-46 Davies Street.

Coined for the symbolized unification of NYC’s five boroughs, 5 Pointz became a center of pride for Queens, a place for many tourists to visit, and a top destination for hundreds of artists. Wolkoff’s stunt is often referred to as the Whitewashing of 5 Pointz.

Luckily, street art lives in a little, hidden corner of Astoria called Welling Court — Ad Hoc’s Welling Court Mural Project (WCMP).

 

What is the Welling Court Mural Project?

In 2009, the Welling Court community reached out to Ad Hoc Art—a design house known for their out-of-the-box thinking and culturally relevant artwork. The folks in the Welling Court area wanted to develop what they knew could be the cultural aesthetic of their own neighborhood. Welling Court sits near the base of Astoria Park bordering the waterfront on Vernon Boulevard with a lovely community garden as its center point. The many brick warehouses with large steel door docks seemed like prime real estate for ground-to-top-floor murals.

Where can I find WCMP?

Welling Court is located on Welling Court and 30^th Avenue. Big streets nearby include Astoria Boulevard, 21^st Street, and Vernon Boulevard.

What to expect?

In May of 2010, the 1^st Welling Court Mural Project debuted 44 different pieces of art. Since then, the collection has grown to 80+ artists and over 120 different works of art.

Here’s how to best enjoy it:

Spend the day getting lost. I love to ride my bike or walk over to Welling Court and explore the little nooks and crannies of its streets. Some of the paintings are obvious and call to you immediately, but others are hidden into smaller streets or on the side of the buildings. It’s a treasure trove waiting to be discovered and it does not disappoint. Grab a coffee or a lemonade and pastry with a friend at Astor Bake Shop and spend the day uncovering the neighborhood. Afterwards, you might find yourself ending up in Astoria Park or even Socrates Sculpture Park relaxing the rest of the day.

How do I show support?

Each year Ad Hoc hosts a block party to debut the new paintings of the Welling Court Mural Project. They’re always looking for volunteers, materials, as well as donations—which are tax deductible. Though the party for 2015 has come and gone, the murals are available to the public to enjoy year round 24/7. Ad Hoc and the artists are always looking for more exposition as well as to touch base with those interested in furthering their cause. For more information please contact Ad Hoc or visit their website. There’s also a yearly Facebook event page for each annual block party with all the information so be sure to keep a look out for the 2016 event.

The Welling Court Mural Project’s growth over the years seems to be proof of its increasing popularity and longevity in the neighborhood—and with good reason. Here’s hoping it keeps growing both in size and as a household (or Astoria household) name.

 

Welling Court Mural Project

— 30th Ave & 12th Street, Astoria, NY 11102

 

Have you been to WCMP? What’s your favorite piece? Where are your favorite pieces of street art in Astoria? Share in the comments!

3 Comments

Pat April 20th, 2018

Hi there,

I love those murals. I have being in the neighborhood, and took pictures; they are impressive in person. Please let me know when you guys have the next event, thanks.

Pat

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Pauline Tiblis May 21st, 2017

This is amazing ! Coming back home to the neighborhood it was awesome to see beautiful art in queens. How can I get involved with the project?

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