The economic state of California is representative of the larger financial health of the United States. The budget cuts and the faltering status of art education in public schools has contrasted much of the rhetoric and statistics for art education and employment in the visual arts. Yet, contemporaneously, California has also witnessed the largest production of street art in the state's history. Over 90 street art murals along with dozens of galleries, blogs, and news sites have taken the Los Angeles art scene by storm. While institutionally art education is faltering, it is thriving informally outside the professionalized field through the surprising context of street art. This interview-based study discusses what street art is and what can be learned from it. The redeeming qualities of street art are also highlighted.