GMACTA President’s Message

Bonjour, hello, hôla, hallo, ni hao, kon’nichiha…

Serge Malenfant

My name is Serge Malenfant, president of the Global Mural Arts & Cultural Tourism Association (GMACTA). This association was founded in 1997 by a true inspiration, Dr. Karl Schutz from Chemainus, BC, Canada.  Dr. Schultz helped forge that town to become a major tourist attraction through its mural programs. Its success has inspired so many other towns in many countries around the world to explore this avenue.

This was accomplished by supporting the creation of partnerships and networking between cities, artists, local business and commerce, economic development authorities and tourism organizations. Its mission is to market and publicize the abundant wealth of artists, towns and cultural events around the Globe.

I am also the founder and president of MURIRS, which is a non-profit organization based in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. Our organization was also inspired by Dr Karl Schutz and GMACTA, for creating and offering the number one tourist attraction composed of exterior monumental murals in the city Sherbrooke and in many other towns.

We hosted the 2014 Global Mural Conference, as a social activity and a promotional tool! Hosting the GMC is a great event and opportunity for promoting economic development through the arts and culture within our community. I have participated in two other Global Mural Conferences, and it is always a great opportunity to exchange with great artists and administrators of so many talents. It is a wonderful opportunity to exchange on so many topics surrounding a common factor, the art of mural making, through time, culture, missions and techniques. It is a privilege to be immersed in such a pool of creativity, at the same time that we are having fun with new friends from around the world. What a great investment.

I am proud to be a member of this dynamic association! It is for me a great opportunity to be participating in a global activity concerning mural art in all its forms.

The GMACTA Motto is: “Creating murals improves the quality of life in our communities one city block and one township at a time”.

Welcome one and all to the 2016 Global Mural Conference.

Sincerely

Serge Malenfant

President of the GMACTA