Binghamton, NY

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018

Project Category: Public art installations

Description: To improve the walkability and aesthetics of an industrial neighborhood in Binghamton, the Center for Technology and Innovation installed a 300-square-foot topographical map mural. Displayed along Wall Street, the artwork depicts a stretch of New York State from Cooperstown to Lake Erie. Organizers say the map aims to enliven pedestrian-friendly block connecting Northside residential neighborhood to downtown shopping areas and a regional transportation hub. The three-dimensional map, prepared with the help of the U.S. Geological Survey, is titled Here in the Heart of New York.

Chelsea, MA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Public art installations

Description: With the addition of public art, a block of Division Street became a welcoming, safe passageway through downtown Chelsea for pedestrians and cyclists. Community members created 25 pieces of art to adorn the street. Artists painted three full-scale murals, including one created alongside students from a local school, as well as several mini murals. Local older adults also installed art panels. To improve mobility, the City added new sidewalks and repaved the roadway. This project spurred local artists and creatives to form a network and increased support for public art among local property owners. Project organizers say its success represents an important first step to link the heart of downtown with Chelsea's waterfront.

Lancaster, PA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2025

Project Category: Public art installations

Description: SACA set out to create a more welcoming plaza by lifting up the migration stories of older adults whose histories were not widely known. The organization recorded ten oral stories and linked them to QR codes placed across the neighborhood, then commissioned a steel sculpture shaped like a travel trunk releasing monarch butterflies to symbolize movement and renewal. They also installed six interpretive panels and hosted a community block party. The project is expected to preserve elders' stories over time as SACA refreshes the recordings and expands its annual "Voices of Migration" art show. A neighbor's suggestion for a monarch theme helped shape the sculpture, showing how resident input guided the work. The effort also prompted further plaza improvements and sparked interest in replicating the project in other cities.

Project description was created using generative AI and then reviewed for accuracy.