Public art is a beneficial creative placemaking strategy that can establish spaces for public expression, a sense of belonging, and social interactions. However, there remains a shortage of case studies documenting its tangible positive... more
Public art is a beneficial creative placemaking strategy that can establish spaces for public expression, a sense of belonging, and social interactions. However, there remains a shortage of case studies documenting its tangible positive impacts in minoritized communities. We sought to fill that gap by investigating community engagement processes in the multiple stages of planning, conceptualization, and materialization of the Fresh Paint Springfield mural festival in 2019 in Springfield (MA). Through observation of one mural that was designed and painted in collaboration with hundreds of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) residents and in-depth interviews with residents, sponsors, and artists, we present public art mural installations as an inclusive creative placemaking strategy. Findings showed three aspects that fostered community pride and sense of belonging: first, artists engaged with downtown residents in multiple stages of the mural installation; second, the artistic product was intentionally designed as a culturally specific depiction of members of the local community; and last, the opendoor studio policy used by the muralist in our case study instigated community member participation and broke the status quo of artists as singular producers of mural art. If given institutional support, artists are key stakeholders who promote aesthetics of belonging, adopt methods that empower residents, and create meaningful and accessible art.
Research Interests:
Public art is a beneficial creative placemaking strategy that can establish spaces for public expression, a sense of belonging, and social interactions. However, there remains a shortage of case studies documenting its tangible positive... more
Public art is a beneficial creative placemaking strategy that can establish spaces for public expression, a sense of belonging, and social interactions. However, there remains a shortage of case studies documenting its tangible positive impacts in minoritized communities. We sought to fill that gap by investigating community engagement processes in the multiple stages of planning, conceptualization, and materialization of the Fresh Paint Springfield mural festival in 2019 in Springfield (MA). Through observation of one mural that was designed and painted in collaboration with hundreds of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) residents and in-depth interviews with residents, sponsors, and artists, we present public art mural installations as an inclusive creative placemaking strategy. Findings showed three aspects that fostered community pride and sense of belonging: first, artists engaged with downtown residents in multiple stages of the mural installation; second, the artistic product was intentionally designed as a culturally specific depiction of members of the local community; and last, the opendoor studio policy used by the muralist in our case study instigated community member participation and broke the status quo of artists as singular producers of mural art. If given institutional support, artists are key stakeholders who promote aesthetics of belonging, adopt methods that empower residents, and create meaningful and accessible art.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT Undergraduate research is viewed as an important catalyst for educational engagement and persistence, with an emphasis on the faculty mentoring relationship. Despite the common practice of having multi-tiered lab teams composed... more
ABSTRACT Undergraduate research is viewed as an important catalyst for educational engagement and persistence, with an emphasis on the faculty mentoring relationship. Despite the common practice of having multi-tiered lab teams composed of newer undergraduates and more seasoned undergraduates serving as peer mentors, less is understood about the experience of peer mentors. Using the framework of legitimate peripheral participation, this study examined how peer mentors negotiated their roles in the lab. Nested case studies based on interviews with peer mentors, faculty members, and newer students illustrated how peer mentors establish credibility through prior lab experience and faculty-framed authority. Delegating supervision was an important component that helped newer students to accept the authority of the peer mentor. Implications for program development and future research involving peer mentoring are discussed.