GoodSpace Mural Project Lunch Kickoff Planned

Public art is economically viable in that it enhances a city's identity and diversifies its cultural attractions. Especially in the era of social media, murals have become destinations where both tourists and locals can celebrate and mark their visit.

GoodSpace Murals promote community development through the creation of works of art. GoodSpace muralists use art to promote community development and share the unique expression and interests of a community, reclaiming the stories and identity within public spaces. They involve the community through socially relevant themes of inclusion and shared interest.

“When we began working together as the Arts of the MOV Collaborative we decided to do a shared activity every year to highlight the value of our work. As we were brainstorming ideas for 2021 Jessie Siefert told us about Greta McClain. Jessie had met her at a conference and thought it would be perfect to invite Greta and her GoodSpace Murals to Parkersburg,” says Senta Goudy, Dean of the Center for Civic Engagement & Innovation, WVU Parkersburg.

“Mosaics and murals create welcoming spaces, activating a canvas in which people can come together, and celebrate their stories, what they have in common, and their collective dreams and intentions for the future. Done right, a mosaic or mural inspires the sentiment: “This is our space, and who we are and what we do here are important,” says Greta McClain with GoodSpace.

“At GoodSpace Murals, we promote community development through the creation of works of public art. We use mural art to identify and communicate the unique expression and interests of a community. We help marginalized communities claim or reclaim a “place at the table” of shared public spaces. We engage the community in a high-quality process of fine-art making which celebrates the significance of free expression and the power of the visual voice,” says McClain.

The first step in creating a mural for a community is to learn more about the area and the people who live in it. If you would like an opportunity to be involved, join us on Wednesday, June 30th from 11 am to 1 pm in Bicentennial Park for the GoodSpace Mural & Lunch event. Meet the GoodSpace muralist in person and give us your ideas on what you’d like to see in the design of the public mural. Grab lunch at your favorite downtown restaurant and meet us at the park for the event. Entertainment will be provided by students from WVU Parkersburg and the Parkersburg Art Center will be providing children’s mural design artwork.

The next phase of the project involves mural paint parties where the host partners like the Arts Collaborative of the Mid-Ohio Valley provide a fun opportunity for the community to come out and paint the mural at a family-friendly painting event.

Finally, a celebration and mural revealing will take place in the form of a community party to celebrate what we created together. The Arts Collaborative of the Mid-Ohio Valley is planning this to take place on Saturday, October 16th. The Parkersburg Art Center and Downtown PKB are planning an expanded ArtOberfest this fall at which time the GoodSpace Mural will be unveiled.

For more information on this project, how to sponsor a project or volunteer with our organization, check out our events on our Facebook page or our website.