After delays from Covid, we were ready to begin the final stages of the project create and install the community intervention in Uptown Greenville.
A 3-day workshop, held on-site from Friday to Sunday in October 2020, guided participants through a collaborative making process. Prior to the event, we created stencils for the custom shapes that included clouds, umbrellas, and other design elements so that participants could design directly on the panels using provided marking tools and visual instructions. The workshop also included priming the boards, drawing the designs, and painting the panels.
The facilitation team supported participants by moderating activities and assisting small groups as needed. The workshop invited collaborative making as a form of material participation where participants interpreted prompts, made creative decisions, and left personal marks on the final outcome.
Co-creation is most impactful when community members actively shape not only ideas, but also their material realization. We provided direction in the workshop with handouts (drawings) of the design and stencils, but we wanted people to creatively interpret the results.
The final work consisted of 16 8’×4’ painted panels, which together stretched across 64 feet of wall.
The team installed the mural panels and integrated seating/swings on-site. We partnered with the City of Greenville and Pitt County Arts Council on the Project. We partnered with local team, Signsmith to produce and install the custom “City of We/Me” letterforms.
The final work resulted in strengthened relationships and built connections in the community. The final mural was crafted with and for the community, and it embodied collective pride and demonstrated the power of shared effort.
Next Steps
After the installation was completed, we began the process of assessment. Based on the goals defined previously in the project, we employed three primary methods to evaluate success: observation, interviews, and surveys. The assessments will be completed by 2021-2022 and will mark the end of this project cycle.
