We’re stoked to announce that Ryan Christenson, better known as “ARCY,” will be returning to Hooplandia this June to create another commemorative mural for the festival in real time. He’s been making large scale, permanent art pieces for years, including for The Smithsonian Institute, Major League Baseball, America’s National Parks Service and The Walt Disney Company.

“My approach is always the same with Hooplandia,” said ARCY. “I just feed off the energy that’s already there. The players, the crowd, the whole environment… that’s really what drives the piece more than anything. I look forward to tying it all together with a patriotic theme to commemorate the 250th anniversary of America.”

He’s a Connecticut native and has worked with Eastern States Exposition (ESE) previously, designing breathtaking murals for the archways carved along the sides of the historic Coliseum. You can view these paintings when you attend the 3x3 festival and watch him paint his next masterpiece in real time.

“It’s been pretty wild to watch the growth of Hooplandia from year one to now,” he said. “Its first year, 2023, felt like watching something new getting off the ground, and now it’s turned into something people genuinely look forward to being part of. The level of play is up, the crowds are bigger and everything just feels more locked in.”

Through his work, ARCY translates the kinetic energy within a space into sensational art pieces. He draws on the spirit of the crowd and pours all those vibes onto the canvas. He’s found something special at each installation of Hooplandia so far, and 2026 will be no exception.

“At the same time,” he continued, “it’s still got that same core to it. It’s about the love of the game, the community, people showing up for each other. That hasn’t changed, and honestly that’s what keeps me coming back. Looking forward to being out there again this June.”