Murals For America

Middlebury Mural- JPEG.jpg

Vital Stats

Katherine L

Middlebury, VT

  • people helped50
  • People Doing It66

The Problem

As an arts advocate, Kate Lupo was inspired to take action after reading news articles and research about American schools that have been forced to greatly decrease or completely eliminate arts programs. This is a serious problem. The arts should not be the first to go in times of budgetary crisis. We must re-establish a deeper cultural appreciation for the arts in America. In 2008, a study from the Center on Education Policy revealed that: “Among districts that reported a decrease in instructional time since 2001–2002, 23 percent reported decreasing total instructional time for arts and music by 50 percent or more below pre-No Child Left Behind levels—greater than social studies, science, and physical education.” The arts are an essential element of childhood development and education. Multiple research studies have proven the benefits of arts participation in children, including strengthened communication, organizational and leadership skills. Simply put: arts programs make schools brighter, happier places where students feel free to express their creativity. A research survey, administered in 2002 by the Arts Education Partnership, concluded that the arts are important for "fostering teacher innovation, a positive professional culture, community engagement, increased student attendance and retention, effective instructional practice, and school identity.” Furthermore, there is a lack of environmental and/or sustainability education in American schools. In a world that is increasingly focused on addressing the pressing challenges of climate change, it is important to teach the younger generations to be environmentally conscious and responsible citizens. Murals For America is both an organization and a movement. Founder and Middlebury College senior, Kate Lupo wants to combine the benefits of art education with the benefits of environmental education to create programs and art projects that inspire school children to be the creative thinkers and environmental leaders of the future.

Plan of Action

After graduating from Middlebury College this spring, Kate will spend the summer doing outreach for Murals for America while working on mural projects in Middlebury, VT and potentially New York City. This summer, Kate will work with the Middlebury President's office to begin fundraising for a 1,000+ square foot mural at Middlebury College. Kate's proposal involves Middlebury alumna and iconic Vermont artist, Sabra Field’s new artwork “Cosmic Geometry” on the east wall of the Middlebury College Wright Theater building as a 36 ft high mural. The purpose of this mural will be to encourage conversations about the power of art to help us envision a better future and communicate environmental ideals. This proposal has recently been approved by the Middlebury College Committee for Art in Public Places. “Cosmic Geometry” is an artwork that portrays a stunning array of cellular, plant, animal and architectural patterns in a grid form, grouped in themed quartets. The work demonstrates the environmental message that the human and natural worlds are connected by the same forms and patterns. These patterns show the viewer that “all is one,” as stated by the artist. The mural will be one of the largest murals in the state, and will attract the attention of the local and greater Vermont community. It will spark important conversations and provide a platform for an “Art & Sustainability” opening event in the fall of 2010, which will examine how the visual arts can help spur the environmental movement and contribute to a greater cultural shift towards conservation and appreciation for the natural world. The success of the mural will be measured by the success of this opening event, which will be a commnity celebration. Keynote speakers may include Bill McKibben, Middlebury College professor and director of 350.org, an organization that actively uses art to propel the movement against climate change. After one year, the success of the mural will also be assessed through a community survey, which will ask questions about the mural’s effectiveness as a teaching tool for linking the arts with community sustainability initiatives. In May 2010, Kate will begin a fundraising campaign, with the full support of the Middlebury President’s Office. The mural is intended to be completed by the end of this summer of 2010. For the full proposal (with photos), as presented to the Middlebury Committee for Art in Public Places, please click here: http://drop.io/MiddMural3/asset/middleburymuralproject-1-pdf.

Project Updates

In September 2009, I started the Middlebury Mural Project at Middlebury College. The project will place the new and dynamic image “Cosmic Geometry,” by Vermont artist and Middlebury alumna Sabra Field, on the back of the college's Wright Theater building as a 1,300 sq foot mural!

I am writing with the exciting news that the Middlebury Mural Project was recently approved and is now among the contenders for a $5,000 Brighter Planet Project Fund grant!

In order for the Middlebury Mural Project to win the grant, we need to secure the most VOTES.

You can help by following the three steps below:

1. Visit the project profile on the Brighter Planet Project Fund website: (http://brighterplanet.com/project_fund_projects/141)
2. Sign up to vote on the website
3. Vote THREE (3) times for the Middleburuy Mural Project!

Thanks for your help!

Kate just won a $500 seed grant from DoSomething! Thank you so much!

Today, Friday, March 26th, Kate was named as a finalist for the Compton Mentor Fellowship!

Kate has applied for the Compton Mentor Fellowship to pursue Murals For America after she graduates from college this spring 2010.

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