New Downtown Pride-Themed Mural Celebrates Stormwater Pollution Prevention

TACOMA, Wash. – The City of Tacoma’s new Public Works Artist-in-Residence, Natalie Dupille, with support from the Environmental Services Department and the Community and Economic Development Department’s Arts and Cultural Vitality Division, has created a new mural located at the corner of South 9th Street and Pacific Avenue and South 9th and A streets. The art is part of the award-winning “If It Hits the Ground, It Hits the Sound” campaign, which aims to raise awareness about preventing stormwater pollution in Commencement Bay and surrounding waters. The mural also has a Pride theme and is part of the City’s effort to celebrate our queer community.

“I was honored and thrilled to be asked to create a pride mural as my first project,” said Dupille. “This project was a way for me to not only celebrate the many different identities our community is comprised of, but also to advocate for a clean Puget Sound by highlighting the beautiful array of sexes and sexualities that exist in the natural world as well.”

Dupille is a cartoonist, writer, and illustrator whose work often focuses on relationships, social issues, and the natural world. She sees art as an effective and accessible method of communicating complex information, emotions, and values to its audiences, especially in cross-cultural contexts. Her work has been featured in many local and national publications including The Stranger, the New Yorker, and the Los Angeles Times. She has partnered with many public works and city organizations in engagement and communications projects, including an award-winning collaboration with Seattle Public Utilities on its Shape Our Water Community Vision.

“I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Natalie Dupille for the stunning mural that has been added to Tacoma’s streets – just in time for Tacoma’s Pride celebrations,” said Mayor Victoria Woodards. “This work of art will add to Tacoma’s beauty for years to come and speaks volumes about Tacoma’s values – which include the critical support, inclusion, and celebration of our LGBTQIA+ residents as well as a focus on environmental consciousness.”

“I am thrilled to celebrate this Pride month with the addition of Natalie Dupille’s marvelous mural depicting queerness in nature and environmental stewardship,” said Council Member Olgy Diaz. “Adding this stunning public art in our bustling downtown core where residents, workers, and guests can join in our celebration of our queer and questioning community year-round is affirming and educational for all. I’m moved by the way the mural highlights the connection between the diversity in our community and the amazing diversity we see in nature and reminds us all how we are all connected and part of a movement to keep our water and natural resources clean and healthy.”

“This new mural is not just incredibly beautiful and creative, it is a vivid marker of Tacoma’s pride in our queer and questioning community,” said Council Member Kristina Walker. “I hope that everyone who sees this artwork will be reminded of the joy that diversity brings to our community, both on land and in our waters. Natalie Dupille has created an amazing work of art that brightens up our streets and makes us think, and we are so fortunate that she has joined the City as an Artist-in-Residence.”