PROJECT SPONSORS
Arts Services Inc. (ASI)
Councilmember Joel Ferroletto
LOCATION
Hertel Alley, Buffalo, NY
DATE
June 2023
The Hertel Alley Mural Festival is a partnership effort made possible through funding support from Councilmember Joel Feroleto and festival production led by Arts Services Inc. (ASI). What began as an overlooked service alley has been reimagined as a vibrant outdoor gallery, bringing color, energy, and new life to the Hertel Avenue neighborhood.
Saira has been an active participant in both 2023 and 2025. Her 2023 mural marked her first full-scale commissioned project, painted primarily with spray paint and celebrated as an important career milestone. In 2025, she returned to the festival with new exploratory elements, continuing to work mainly in spray paint while pushing the boundaries of her practice.
Each year, the festival commissions artists from across Western New York—representing Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties—and transforms the alley into a place where creativity, community, and placemaking come together. Beyond celebrating artistic talent, the Hertel Alley Mural Festival plays a significant role in enhancing walkability, reclaiming underutilized urban space, and reshaping the alley into a dynamic, community-centered destination—contributing to a renewed sense of vibrancy and cultural pride in the neighborhood
Saira was one of 26 mural artists for the Hertel Alley Mural Fest (2023). She was selected out of 100+ applicants for the event due to her unique artistic style and community-centered approach. All artists were asked to create a design unique to them and within their niche placement within the alley – Saira did not disappoint! We highly recommend her for her artistic ingenuity and professionalism when it comes to community based creative place making! We can’t wait to work with her again.
Jen Swan-Kilpatrick, Executive Director, Arts Services Inc of WNYSwipe through the photo gallery below to see the 2023 and 2025 murals!
