By Mitch Carr
Everybody can channel the excitement that comes with serendipitously coming across a work of art proudly showcased in their community. It inspires feelings of nostalgia through storytelling in a multimodal way. And, as I sit at the newly painted picnic tables located in front of Soul Nutrition in Downtown Lansing, I can’t help but feel nostalgic for the pre-pandemic world slowly getting integrated back. It is exciting to feel the community start to feel comfortable congregating together again. This past year has been isolating and many of us have lost our in-person communities. However, the old world is not what we want to go back to. The old world was marginalizing, oppressing, and othering. So, what if instead of going back to the old world we crafted a new world? A world that values inclusion and accessibility. A world that celebrates communities and their creativity. If we celebrate our community and the creativity that lives with them, then we can encourage this new post pandemic world.
Mila Lynn (MindofMila),the Artist in Residence at REACH Art Studio, Lansing, MI, hosted back-to-back public art workshops. These workshops encouraged creative activity for students who have had limited access to artistic resources and creative outlets. COVID-19 has restricted in person community, along with resources typically provided through public schools. So by hosting public art workshops Mila and the team continued the beautification process throughout Downtown Lansing by painting a total of 12 picnic tables; 6 of which were donated by Downtown Lansing Inc and the other 6 from Riverview Church in REO Town. These tables will be distributed throughout the downtown district and placed in front of local businesses to promote economic activity in the community. Over 70 local children came together to express themselves, paint things that they have missed, and enjoy the company of new faces.
These events were made possible through a “Just Futures” initiative Mellon Foundation Grant titled, “Creativity in the Time of COVID-19: Art as a Tool Combating Injustice and Inequity.” Mila was brought on to this grant, co-authored by Natalie Phillips, Julian Chambliss, and Nancy DeJoy, along with the graduate and undergraduate research team at the DHLC, as an artist primarily focusing on outreach with K-12 students and their creative engagements. The goal of this project is to create a more just world by understanding creative outlets.
I had the opportunity to chat with Mila about why public art is so important to community. After over a year of COVID-19 caused isolation, it is important to feel connected with your local community. “Not only with colorful art, but art that is created together we hope that those feelings can be dissipated.” Public art is an important aspect of community, as well as the economy. Mila continued, “Public art is directly associated with a healthy economy. After this last year we want to see Downtown Lansing come back with a complete revitalization. It is important that we have [public] art to show that people are physically in these spaces.”
If you or someone you know has used creativity over the duration of the pandemic, then please take our survey! By participating you will be included in the curation of museum exhibits that showcase creative artifacts that reflect your pandemic experience.
Take the Creativity in the Time of COVID survey.
About Mitch Carr
Mitch Carr is a graduate lead on the Creativity in the time of COVID-19 grant. His primary role on this team is in relation to communications and survey engagement which is fitting given his studies in MSU’s Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures department where he studies Digital Rhetorics and Professional Writing. Outside of his academic focuses, Mitch enjoys traveling, spending time in nature, and cooking. He also dabbles in creative writing. You can read his short story published through the REO Town Reading Anthology for free on Amazon. You can contact Mitch at carrmitc@msu.edu.