A community partnership is developing in Kirkland to allow a young artist’s mural design to be painted on the SPUD Fish & Chips to help raise awareness of salmon sustainability in Juanita Creek and other North Lake Washington creeks.

Austin Picinich, a 16-year-old Junior at Juanita High School, designed the mural as his project pitch for the First Tee Innovators Forum in San Jose – a weekend-long leadership summit challenging teens to develop an innovative community service project to bring back to our communities.

The community partners making this mural possible include: The City of Kirkland, University of Washington Bothell, Kirkland Cultural Arts Commision, SPUD Fish & Chips, Seattle-based nonprofit Urban ArtWorks, and others.

Picinich also partnered with the University of Washington’s North Lake Washington Salmon Watchers program to incorporate salmon education into the mural design and an educational plaque about Juanita Creek.

With help from Urban Artworks, Picinich will host a Community Paint Day in April 2022 for volunteers to help paint the mural design. SPUD Fish & Chips will also provide food for volunteers.

The date of the event is still to be determined. For more information or to volunteer visit www.austinsart.net/salmonmural.