Community members are invited to help paint a “welcoming mural” in Lancaster this weekend.
The public painting session is set for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Ganse Apothecary, 355 W. King St. Participants will help paint a design developed over the past three months, depicting a group of neighbors working together on a quilt. It features blank quilt squares that painters will fill in.
City government and refugee resettlement nonprofit Church World Service announced plans for the mural this spring. Artist Claudia Rojas and Shauna Yorty developed its content through a community engagement process, convening conversations and conducting surveys to identify motifs that represent “welcome” to local residents.
Lancaster has received international attention for its refugee resettlement efforts. Last month, it celebrated “Welcoming Week,” highlighting its status as one of just a handful of certified “Welcoming Cities” in the U.S.
Funding for the mural comes from a National Endowment for the Arts grant, with additional support from Lancaster city, Lancaster County Community Foundation, Landis Homes and Penn Square Rotary Club. Materials are being provided by Two Dudes Painting.
