The Bushwick Collective is back with its 12th annual Block Party, an event that combines street art, music, food trucks and local vendors. Bushwick Collective is one of the biggest success stories of community revitalization through art. When Bushwick resident Joe Ficalora lost his mother in 2011, he poured his grief into resurrecting his deteriorating neighborhood. He invited artists into Bushwick, and soon, people were coming from far and wide to discover the amazing graffiti, street art and murals painted by some of the world’s most famous artists. Bushwick is now one of the trendiest Brooklyn neighborhoods to visit. Other businesses have sprung up, as the art continues to draw fans year after year.

The Bushwick Collective Block Party has become an annual event that kicks off the summer season for the entire community and its many fans. A stage in the center of the neighborhood features musical guests, but the infectious party atmosphere spreads far and wide. Bars at capacity spill out onto packed patios and into the streets, vendors hawk their goods, and food trucks feed the hungry crowds. All the while, artists with spray paint cans and brushes in hand, toil late into the night.

We’ve attended the block party many times, but one of our favorite summer activities is circling back early the next morning to tour the neighborhood and take pictures of all the completed murals in the light of day. And though much of the work occurs leading up to and during the event, there are always stragglers finishing up their projects the next day, offering the opportunity to speak to artists and watch as they work without the noise or the crowds. If street art is your main focus, here’s a guide on where to find the best Bushwick Collective murals, and where else you can find amazing street art in NYC.