Recently a very fine and beautiful thing happened. Harrisonburg got a new mural. A seven-member youth design team comprised of Harrisonburg teens collaborated with local artist Sarah Hade to create a mural. The youngsters told Sarah what they wanted the mural to be and to mean, and Sarah helped them turn their ideas into an image. Then, those youngsters plus other members of the community showed up and painted it! AND THIS IS HOW IT TURNED OUT!!!

“Art is a language we all speak.” Indeed!

Yes, there are still a few minor touch-ups to be completed, but WHAT A THING OF BEAUTY!

So where’d this brilliant idea come from? The Shenandoah Valley Art Mobile, that’s where! You didn’t know it existed? Well, that’s because it’s a brand new initiative headed up by five incredible people: Emily Reese, Leons Kabongo, Leah Gingerich, Maressa Cortes, and Amelia Guido. Their plan is to fundraise through this summer and buy a sweet school bus. Tear everything out of that sucker and furnish it with tables and stools, a projector and screen, two sets of sinks, supply storage, and a drying rack. This renovation phase could take a year to complete. Once mobile, the bus will travel to neighborhoods in Harrisonburg and provide weekly one-hour art lessons to kids after school! Later they’ll expand programming to include retirement community members. Art for all ages! Until the bus is ready, the team will simply travel to different locations and lead art activities.

Now then, they’re still fundraising. Here are some options for you: attend the May 12 Music Festival at Brothers Craft Brewing — watch the team in action as they lead a community art activity and make a donation! You could also attend their fundraiser May 26 at Pale Fire. There will be a dessert competition featuring local pastry chefs (OMG), plus a food truck, live music, a photo booth, face painting — it’ll be a grand party! Keep your eyes open for other fundraisers and fun events. Can’t make it to one of these events? Donate online! Strapped for cash? Maybe you could volunteer with the bus renovation! They’ll need help in all of these departments: electrical, lighting, plumbing, welding, flooring, cabinetry, heating/cooling/ventilation, insulation, and solar energy. And the 100% free option: help promote this initiative. Tell your friends, your coworkers, people you know who could help out or make a donation. That’s what social media is for, people!

Let’s all get behind this project and help “bring art to where it’s not!”

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