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VI Council on the Arts (2020) Print
2020 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
Project Category
Public places
└ Public art installations
└ Public art installations
The Virgin Islands Council on the Arts commissioned local artists -- all of whom were older adults -- to create four murals at a local recreational complex. Intended to extend the Yacht Haven Public Arts Initiative into more neighborhoods, the new murals focus on Virgin Islanders' heritage and history. Subject matter includes an ocean vista with sail boats, a scene from everyday Island life and an homage to local athletes. Project organizers say they hope the new public art instills a sense of neighborhood identity and adds color to walls that would otherwise go unnoticed.
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See More Projects Like This One
Kailua, HI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public art installations
Description: Hearing and recording the stories of elders is an important part of Hawaiian culture. Students and staff from the Kailua Intermediate School honored this heritage by painting a large mural facing Kailua District Park. The project launched with a Huaka'i (field experience), during which people of all ages visited historically significant sites in the community. Learning about local cultural practices and values, students heard mo'olelo (stories) from kupuna (elders) They then shared the stories with their peers, who joined in to design and paint the mural.
Pittsburgh, PA
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2018
Project Category: Public art installations
Description: To bring vibrancy to Pittsburgh's Beechview neighborhood, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Partnership for Aging engaged residents in a public art project. The result was Color Beechview. With the guidance of a local artist, community members wore LED lights on bodies, which they used to create light paintings through long-exposure technology. The resulting digital art depicts the silhouettes of Beechview residents, including children and older adults. SWPPA then displayed the art throughout the neighborhood, including on the sidewalk pavement in front of the senior center, on the side of light rail cars and along neighborhood fences. Organizers say key goals of the project were combatting social isolation and creating intergenerational connections. "We encouraged people who didn't know one another to reach across generations and across ethnicities to connect," Lively Pittsburgh's Ted Cmarada said.
Henderson, NC
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2021
Project Category: Public art installations
Description: The Flint Hill Kittrell Vance Community Development Corporation hoped to help foster economic development in Henderson's Flint Hill neighborhood, a low-income community. To create a sense of place there, the CDC created the Henderson Art Walk. First, volunteers worked to install murals and crosswalk art reflecting the area's history and culture. Local youth also took part in an oral history project, recording stories from their elders. A local website hosts an archive of the stories, along with photos of local public art installations. Then the CDC launched its walking tour, which highlights local Black history and culture. The walk leads visitors past local galleries and museums, as well as murals and crosswalk art. One mural honors Ben E. King, a Henderson native best known for writing and performing the song Stand by Me. The success of this placemaking project has inspired similar efforts in nearby communities and has spurred the CDC to create more public art.
Nearby AARP Community Challenge Projects
St. Thomas, VI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Park enhancements
Description: Hurricanes left many parks in disrepair, and intense heat made outdoor spaces uncomfortable for older adults. The project built a durable shade structure with two ADA-compliant picnic tables near a playground, skate and bike park and open field, creating a cooler, welcoming spot for all ages. Volunteers also repaired a ballpark dugout and extended a concrete slab to improve accessibility. Families now use the shaded area for gatherings, and older adults enjoy a safe place to connect while watching activities. Built to withstand harsh island conditions, the structure will serve the community for decades.
Charlotte Amalie, VI
AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2024
Project Category: Lifelong housing and accessibility
Description: Older residents in public housing often missed visitors and deliveries because hearing loss made it hard to hear knocks, leaving them isolated and at risk. To address this, the housing authority installed 200 multi-sensory doorbells that provide visual, auditory and tactile alerts, and volunteers offered one-on-one orientations and shared other services. A territory-wide radio campaign promoted the program. The devices improved safety and independence, helping residents age in place and stay connected. One resident said that the doorbell has been very helpful and necessary addition for him, reflecting the confidence these upgrades bring.
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