Englewood, NJ

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021

Project Category: Public art installations

Description: After a local ordinance update to allow murals in Englewood, the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation set out to create public art celebrating Black women's history. The Foundation commissioned an artist to create the Black Women's Mural Project's first installation, which celebrates the work of Black suffragists who fought to expand voting rights to women. Two community engagements coincided with the mural's installation, where community members could watch the artist work. Participants learned more about the artists' vision and the history informing the subject matter. Organizers invited residents to share their feedback and personal stories. Additionally, the Foundation provided information on registering to vote, as well as polling locations and hours. To celebrate the new artwork, they also produced a documentary about the mural.

Las Cruces, NM

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Public art installations

Description: This project will help community members beautify a revitalizing downtown through a participatory paint-by-numbers mural on the wall of a nonprofit makerspace.

Newton, KS

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2023

Project Category: Public art installations

Description: This project will convert the back of a billboard into a mixed-media mural depicting figures and images representing Kansas history, adding vibrancy to a park located near a train station.