Public Art Dedication & Artist Panel

Kyle Edwards

Kyle L. Edwards is an Allentown-based artist, muralist, producer, creative director and community builder whose work explores the ability of art to create connection, belonging and opportunity. Through his company, a true l.o.v.e story., llc, Edwards works across public art, graphic design, apparel, event production, placemaking and community engagement. His work has included collaborations with organizations including the Philadelphia Eagles, FOX Sports and Amazon, as well as municipalities, schools, nonprofits and cultural institutions throughout the region.

Edwards is also the founder and owner of inkwell., an award-winning collaborative arts and community space in Downtown Allentown built around a simple idea: give people a place to create, connect, experiment and belong. Through inkwell. and his work throughout the Lehigh Valley, Edwards brings together visual art, live music, comedy, poetry, storytelling, wellness, movement, DJ culture, workshops, exhibitions and community gatherings, using creativity to activate public spaces and bring people together.

That sense of community is central to Edwards’ approach to public art. He has created dozens of murals throughout the Lehigh Valley and beyond, frequently working alongside young people and community members throughout the creative process. For Edwards, a mural is more than a finished image on a wall. It is an opportunity for people to build confidence, exchange ideas, form relationships and recognize that they have helped create something larger than themselves.

That philosophy is reflected in his mural for the ArtsQuest Creative Factory powered by PPL. The work celebrates Bethlehem as a place shaped by creativity, culture, community and continual transformation. At its center is a hybrid of the Bethlehem Star and a lotus flower, bringing together one of the city’s most recognizable symbols with imagery representing growth, renewal and possibility. Surrounding the central image are flowing organic forms, reaching hands, human profiles, botanical elements and references to Bethlehem’s industrial and architectural history.

The mural’s hands and figures represent participation, collaboration and the many people and perspectives that make up a community, including the next generation of young creatives. Music, art and ideas are represented through the movement of the surrounding forms, while botanical imagery reinforces themes of growth and renewal. Steel-inspired structural elements ground the composition in Bethlehem’s industrial history.

The mural also carries a personal connection to Bethlehem’s industrial history. Edwards’ grandfather worked at Bethlehem Steel before spending many years at The Morning Call, and his influence on Edwards helped shape the piece. Edwards fondly remembers spending summers with his “Pop Pop,” whose distinctive sense of humor, strong work ethic and quiet, disciplined nature left a lasting impression. Even in retirement, his grandfather maintained a structured routine, embodying a belief that the work should speak for itself. Edwards’ experiences working with the Boys & Girls Club of Bethlehem also helped inspire the mural, and he found himself reflecting on those memories and relationships throughout the creative process.

For Edwards, bringing these elements together is a reflection of how he sees a community itself – as many people, stories, generations and art forms coming together to create a shared identity. The lotus and Bethlehem Star at the center are particularly meaningful, representing both something familiar and something new, and reflecting a city that honors its history while continuing to evolve.

Ultimately, Edwards hopes viewers see something of themselves in the murals.

“More than anything, I want someone to walk past the mural and feel that there is room for them in the story,” Edwards says. “That is what I want public art to do. It shouldn’t simply decorate a wall; it should help people feel connected to the place they share.”

In addition to his creative work, Edwards is a community partner with the Allentown Art Museum and serves as Vice Chair of both the Allentown Arts Commission and Downtown Allentown Alliance. He also serves on the boards of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, Lehigh Valley Arts & Cultural Alliance and William Allen Arts Alliance.

Whether creating a mural, producing a performance, activating a public space or creating an opportunity for someone to share their work for the first time, Edwards’ practice is rooted in the belief that art does not have to exist separately from everyday life. For him, creativity can be a vehicle for connection—and a way to help more people feel that they belong.