Artwork Created by UMass Lowell students, alumni as part of community project with neighborhood groups
10/03/2018
Contact: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu and Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
MEDIA ADVISORY
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 4, 3:30 p.m.
WHERE: Decatur Way, 233 Salem St., Lowell. Contact UMass Lowell media relations for directions and parking information.
WHAT: A new mural created by UMass Lowell students and alumni that reflects the vibrancy of Lowell will be unveiled at a free event for the community on Decatur Way, an outdoor public art and green space in the city’s Acre neighborhood.
Decatur Way, a walkway adjacent to the University Crossing student center, was transformed by UMass Lowell, neighborhood and city representatives in 2016 with art and poetry installations, along with structural improvements that include a new stormwater system. Funding for the new mural, which measures 16 feet by 8 feet, came from the UMass Lowell Chancellor’s 2020 Challenge Grant program, which supports projects that advance the university’s 10-year strategic plan.
The new mural was designed and painted by a team of UMass Lowell students and recent graduates from Burlington, Dracut, Lowell, Princeton, South Hamilton and Townsend in collaboration with Art and Design Prof. Stephen Mishol and History Prof. Robert Forrant.
Speakers at the opening event are expected to include UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney; Dave Ouellette, president of the Acre Coming Together, Improving Our Neighborhood (ACTION) community group; and UMass Lowell art and design major Mary Connell of Princeton.
The mural is the second public art exhibit recently developed by UMass Lowell students that pays tribute to the community. Just inside University Crossing’s Salem Street entrance, a new display shares the rich history of the former St. Joseph’s Hospital, which once stood on the site of the building.