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Thanks to generous grants, a 650-foot interactive ground mural will be installed at the new Superior branch on Harris Road. The Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC) just awarded YDL
$2,000 to fund the mural and art supply take-home kits for local youth. This is in addition to $3,000 from the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor.

YDL will collaborate with long-time partner Yen Azzaro, a local artist, illustrator, and graphic recorder, to create the mural. Azzaro has previously presented arts programs at YDL, and will host an upcoming bullet-journaling class for teens in October.

“The opening of the new YDL-Superior Library Branch is … going to be a beacon of sustainability and thoughtful environmental learning,” Azzaro said. “I hope the mural mimics that energy of newness, timeliness, and togetherness.”

The mural will have fully accessible, patterned artwork that invites viewers to roll, walk, and jump as they explore shapes, lines, and colors. The theme will be sourced from the community and represent the neighborhood’s pride and its landmarks. There’s a planning activity scheduled for Nov. 15 during the opening celebrations for the new library, and plans are in the works for two additional input sessions in October–one for teens and one for all ages.

The mural is expected to be completed in April or May of 2023. Mural painting will be open for community members of all abilities to participate. All young painters will be given their take-home kit with temporary chalk sidewalk paint, painting supplies, and instructions on how to create small murals in their own neighborhood.

“YDL is such an integral core to our community and how we learn, socialize, and engage in civic opportunities,” Azzaro said. “I am incredibly proud to have YDL in my community and jump at every opportunity to partner with an organization that uplifts creative place-making.”

YDL Director Lisa Hoenig adds that the library is happy to create something that serves as both an educational resource and a way for patrons to engage with art.

“It’s always exciting to do something that not only promotes learning but can light a creative spark and inspire a love of the arts,” she said.

MACC provides grants, assists young artists in developing leadership skills, and maintains a database of teaching artists in Michigan. Through its grants, it enriches the “artistic, cultural, and creative environment in Michigan.”