Tomorrow's Hope, a new midtown mural to be unveiled this week, offers inspiration to Harrisburg's next generation.
BARAK, a community arts group, commissioned Megan Davis, a co-founder of Sprocket Mural Works, to “speak a message of empowerment to youth as the future leaders of our city.”
Davis designed the 16-by-16-foot mural at Third Street Studio and painted it with help from Philadelphia artist Jacintha Clark and about 25 neighborhood children ages eight to 18. The mural faces the UMC Neighborhood Center and the children depicted in the mural have all taken part in the Center's programs.
“Public art should reflect the community it adorns, and this mural is meant to speak specifically to the children of Harrisburg,” says Davis. “It's a dynamic place to grow up in, and this message is meant to empower our young ones toward a brighter future.”
Davis co-founded Sprocket with Jeff Copus and Liz Laribee. The citywide mural project works with neighborhoods, artists, organizations and government agencies to create vibrant community murals across the city, and to tell the stories of its rich mural history. The mission is to increase community pride and civic engagement in Harrisburg through united creative action.
Davis says the new mural is the first in a series of collaborations.
“Our goal is to act as a natural hub and gathering place for the people and elements needed to carry out these projects,” she explains. “We are identifying walls, meeting artists, gathering supplies and cultivating partnerships in the community.”
Tomorrow’s Hope, located at 1725 N. Third Street will be unveiled at 4 p.m. Sunday, September 14. A panel discussion about the mural is set for 2 p.m. at the Midtown Scholar (1302 N. Third Street).
Source: Megan Davis, Sprocket Mural Works
Writer: Elise Vider