On Thursday, May 12th, the Town of Ashland partnered with CultureWorks, The Branch, and residents of Ashland's Sedgefield neighborhood on a dynamic and meaningful community art event. Funded in part by a grant from the Town, CultureWorks organized and conceptualized this free community event.
Colombian artist Alfonso Pérez Acosta led participants through a collaborative project in which residents of all ages painted individual signs stamped with a tree and "Mi Casa Es Su Casa" ("My Home Is Your Home"). The individual signs, when assembled together, form a large-scale mosaic, which also spells out "Mi Casa Es Su Casa."
"The idea for this community art project is that individually we are all unique and come from different places and backgrounds...from different 'casas' or homes," said Pérez Acosta. "And when you take those differences and put them all together like this mosaic, it forms something new and unique, and even more beautiful."
At the conclusion of the event, participants were able to take home their individual works of art to display in their windows or yards, in the hopes the artworks will further contribute to the residents' sense of community and neighborhood unity.
"The diversity of Ashland's residents is one of the many things that makes this community so special," said Martha J. Miller, Community Engagement Manager for the Town of Ashland. "The Town believes in supporting the arts and in investing in community partners that create programming aimed at reducing barriers to arts education and increasing opportunities for creative expression for all members of our community."
“The collaborative mural experience in Ashland was a beautiful expression of the critical role of arts and culture in deepening a sense of community and belonging while fostering social cohesion and well-being," said Scott Garka, President of CultureWorks. 
Garka added, "Through events like this one, CultureWorks joins forces with phenomenal artists like Alfonso Pérez Acosta and local community partners to make progress toward everyone having access to arts and culture, and the opportunity to express their culture through the arts.”
Thank you to CultureWorks for planning the event, The Branch and Peck Properties for providing the space, and Los Regios Dulceria y Neveria for the delicious paletas for our participants to enjoy!
