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All the United States California San Francisco Clarion Alley

Clarion Alley

This one-block alleyway is stuffed with street art that is colorful, cultural, and intensely political.

San Francisco, California

Added By
Carol Guttery
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An anti-gentrification message.   cguttery / Atlas Obscura User
This artist had just been given this space and was working on a new piece.   cguttery / Atlas Obscura User
This SF character was just hangin’ with his dog in the alley.   cguttery / Atlas Obscura User
“Your Racism is not Patriotism.”   cguttery / Atlas Obscura User
Rainy December 31 2022   ccesare / Atlas Obscura User
Rainy December 31 2022   ccesare / Atlas Obscura User
Rainy December 31 2022   ccesare / Atlas Obscura User
Rainy December 31 2022   ccesare / Atlas Obscura User
Rainy December 31 2022   ccesare / Atlas Obscura User
Rainy December 31 2022   ccesare / Atlas Obscura User
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July 2018   paulruta / Atlas Obscura User
July 2018   paulruta / Atlas Obscura User
July 2018   paulruta / Atlas Obscura User
Doggy Diner Head graffiti @ Clarion Alley SF Nov 16 2024   misszon / Atlas Obscura User
July 2018   paulruta / Atlas Obscura User
Rainy December 31 2022   ccesare / Atlas Obscura User
Rainy December 31 2022   ccesare / Atlas Obscura User
Rainy December 31 2022   ccesare / Atlas Obscura User
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About

San Francisco's Mission district is a hotspot for street art. Much of it focuses on the Mission's Latino immigrant history. But in Clarion Alley, the murals take on a decidedly political tone. 

Clarion Alley was established as a street art destination in 1992. It's a short, one-block gauntlet of aerosol running between Mission and Valencia Streets. The murals are painted on the concrete and wooden fencing bordering the homes there. Some of the murals are coordinated by the Clarion Alley Mural project, which has a mission to support social inclusiveness and aesthetic variety.

The alley is a very local thing and the artists who paint there are from San Francisco. A street artist will "own" a patch of fence where they can paint whatever they wish. If they want to hold onto their patch for the long term, they are asked to maintain their work. Alternatively, they can give their patch to a new artist for a fresh perspective. This means that while some pieces stay in the alley for the long term, there is a great deal of turnover in design style and messaging. There is always something fresh and edgy in Clarion Alley and it's worth visiting multiple times if you find yourself in San Francisco regularly. 

Related Tags

Street Art Politics Graffiti Alleyways Art

Know Before You Go

Clarion Alley is a one-block alleyway between Mission Street and Valencia Street and 17th and 18th Street in San Francisco's Mission district.

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cguttery

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SEANETTA, ccesare, misszon, paulruta...

  • SEANETTA
  • ccesare
  • misszon
  • paulruta
  • danieljschmidt1

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April 8, 2019

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  • https://clarionalleymuralproject.org/
  • https://wayfaringviews.com/san-francisco-mission-district-murals/
  • https://californiacrossings.com/san-francisco-mission-district-murals/
Clarion Alley
Clarion Alley
San Francisco, California
United States
37.76298, -122.4206
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