Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


The next ART Doing Good public art project is underway, and once again, it starts by listening to the community.

Community input is now being collected for a new mural planned for The Collective building, 214 S. Michigan Ave. in downtown Howell, across from the Post Office.

A QR code at the site invites residents and visitors to share the stories, experiences and perspectives that will inspire artwork reflecting our collective story and welcoming others into downtown Howell.

Participants are invited to consider questions including:

What would you love to see reflected in this mural? What do you hope people feel when they stand in front of it? What’s something about this community an outsider might miss?

They can also upload a photo, sketch, or short video that helps communicate what matters to them.

Founder of ART Doing Good Susan Pominville said “We want to give the artist insight into who’s here, what connects us, and the perspectives that can be translated into artwork that welcomes others into our community. By sharing our individual stories and experiences, we can help create a larger collective story that reflects who we are today and gives others a sense of our community.”

The project follows Reflections, ART Doing Good’s first community-inspired mural, unveiled on the Thai Café wall in June. That project also started by listening to the community, with the ideas and experiences shared becoming inspiration for artwork reflecting the people, places and connections that define Howell today.

The experience continues beyond the artwork itself. Visitors can scan a QR code at Reflections to explore details within the mural and discover local organizations and opportunities to become more involved in the community.

Livingston County United Way Executive Director Carrie Newstead “Since the mural was installed, we have seen increased use of the Volunteer Livingston website. That is exactly the kind of impact we hoped to see when we decided to support Art Doing Good and its mission. We are proud to be part of a project that brings creativity to our community while helping connect people with meaningful volunteer opportunities”.

That connection between public art and community participation is central to ART Doing Good’s larger goal of creating welcoming spaces that help people discover more about the community around them.

A Call for Artists will be announced soon, and community input will be shared with the artist selected for The Collective project as inspiration for the final artwork.

Community members can scan the QR code at The Collective or visit ARTDoingGood.org to share their inspiration and follow the project. Link provided.

About ART Doing Good:
ART Doing Good develops community-inspired public art projects that reflect the people, places, experiences and connections that define a community today. By bringing community voices and artists together, ART Doing Good helps create welcoming public spaces, strengthens connections and helps people discover ways to be part of the community.