WE HIT THE NEWS! WFAA, TELEMUNDO, and ASSOCIATED PRESS DALLAS cover our fight.

Wow. In only 4 days, we have almost reached 1,000 signed petitions! Because of your rapid support, we have reached coverage of media outlets and can continue to progress and make a change to protect Dallas Art!

Today, there is a mere portion remaining in the mural; irreparable damage has already been done, and that is why the direction of this petition is to raise awareness about how easily FIFA and the city have covered up our treasured art.

It's important to let Dallas know that we are fighting for culture over capitalism!

The Issue
Targets/Decision Makers
North Texas FWC  Organizing Committee (FIFA)
Slate Asset Management (Building Owners)
Dallas City Council & Office of Arts and Culture

A beloved Dallas icon is being destroyed for a temporary event taking place 20 miles away from Downtown Dallas.

Dallas is at a crossroads: Wyland's Whale Mural at 505 N. Akard Street—an artistic treasure that has graced our city for 27 years—is at risk of destruction. This mural is not just paint on a wall; it is a symbol of Dallas’s creative spirit and community identity.
Whether you’ve glimpsed it from a passing car or admired it up close, this mural is a cultural landmark woven into the fabric of Dallas.

This eight-story-tall mural was fully funded by Wyland and his foundation as a gift to connect our landlocked city to the marine life.

Right now, World Cup organizers (North Texas FWC) and building owners are erasing Wyland’s work—covering it with advertisements for the 2026 World Cup.
 
To make matters worse, the actual World Cup matches aren't even happening in downtown Dallas-they are being played 20 miles away at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
But what’s most troubling is how the organizers carried out this decision.
There was no warning and no public announcement. Knowing Dallas residents would fiercely oppose this, the organizers acted in secrecy. Despite their claims, they did not inform Wyland—the artist himself learned about the mural’s destruction only after most of the damage was done. Now, he is fighting back legally with a cease-and-desist order.
Because they rushed to cover this Dallas Landmark overnight, generations of Dallas residents never even got the chance to go downtown and say a proper goodbye.

This is part of a troubling pattern: Dallas leadership continues to favor short-term profits over lasting public art and the preservation of our history.
The New York Times recently reported that the city is considering demolishing Dallas City Hall for a new sports arena. Over 75% of residents want to preserve our architectural history, but leaders prioritize corporate revenue.

“Is it not cruel to let our city die by degrees, stripped of all her proud monuments, until there will be nothing left of all her history and beauty to inspire our children? If they are not inspired by the past of our city, where will they find the strength to fight for her future?”
-Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis

We urge everyone who cares about Dallas to sign this petition now. We are demanding 3 concrete actions:

1. Stop painting immediately: Preserve what's left of the original mural by halting all further work now.
2. Provide restitution: Require World Cup organizers and building owners to fund a new permanent downtown mural site to immortalize public art.
3. Protect Dallas public art: Demand that the Dallas City Council create rules ensuring no public art is erased without open hearings.

Dallas is more than a backdrop for sports events—we are a city with a rich history, vibrant art, and a unique soul worth fighting for. Great cities honor their past; they do not erase it.

Sign this petition, share it widely, and join us in standing up for Dallas’s art and history!