Danville, KY

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2019

Project Category: Public art installations

Description: Danville has a significant population of residents who are deaf or hard of hearing. The Community Arts Center hoped to foster a greater sense of belonging for these individuals and to strengthen their sense of place. To achieve this, students from the Kentucky School for the Deaf created and installed a 100-square-foot mosaic on the exterior wall of the Community Arts Center, one of the town's most prominent buildings. The Center held workshops to teach the students about mosaic art and hosted a lecture series for the larger community. In a follow up survey of the students, a majority said they were excited to bring family to visit the mural. They also said the project boosted their sense of connection to the community.

Quarryville, PA

AARP Community Challenge Grant Year: 2020

Project Category: Public art installations

Description: The Borough of Quarryville set out to beautify a blank wall at a public park. To prepare the wall, Borough staff power washed it and scrubbed it down. A local business donated painting supplies. Then a local artist -- helped by volunteers from the community -- painted the mural, which depicts children interacting with nature. The mural's artist intended the artwork to act as a visual scavenger hunt, with a variety of animals, insects, birds and reptiles hidden in its imagery. The mural's success sparked other works of public art throughout town, including installations along the local rail trail.