Clarion Alley

What you need to know

Clarion Alley is a one-block alley in the Mission, running east-west between Mission Street and Valencia Street, parallel to and just south of 17th Street. The alley is 560 feet long and 15 feet wide. Both sides are covered with murals managed by the Clarion Alley Mural Project (CAMP), a volunteer collective founded in October 1992 by six Mission residents: Aaron Noble, Michael O’Connor, Sebastiana Pastor, Rigo 92, Mary Gail Snyder, and Aracely Soriano.

CAMP took inspiration from the older mural tradition on Balmy Alley but set out on a broader thematic range, with a stated focus on social inclusiveness and aesthetic variety. The collective has produced more than 700 murals over the years, painted over and replaced on a rotating basis. CAMP estimates the alley draws over 200,000 visitors a year.

What to See

Current murals cover housing displacement, police accountability, queer and trans identity, Indigenous rights, Palestine solidarity, AIDS history, and the Mission’s gentrification. Work cycles through regularly. Some pieces have been preserved for years; others go up and come down within a season.

Several murals carry artist credits and titles painted directly onto the wall. CAMP’s online archive documents past work.

Visiting

Hours: Open 24 hours. Daylight is better for viewing.

Cost: Free

Best time: Mid-morning or mid-afternoon for even light on both sides of the alley.

Getting There

From 16th Street Mission BART, walk one block south on Mission Street to 17th, then west to the alley entrance at Mission and 17th. The 14 Mission and 49 Van Ness-Mission buses both stop at 17th and Mission. The 22 Fillmore stops at 17th and Valencia, at the other end of the alley. Valencia Street has a protected bike lane one block west.