Art Center Helps to Create Interactive Play Space
We’re happy to announce that the Richmond Art Center, in partnership with the City of Richmond and The Trust for Public Land, has received a new grant from Kaboom to create the Mathieu Court Alley Play Street.
“It’s exciting that elementary school students will have the experience of transforming an outdoor community space in a lasting way. We have a strong team of teaching artists who will be facilitating this project bringing students, families and neighbors together in the process.” says Rachel Schaffran, our Art In the Community director.
Elementary school students from Peres Elementary and Nevin Community Center, along with their families and RAC teaching artists Vreni Michelini Castillo and Sophie Siegmann will paint interactive games & artwork on a recently transformed “green alley.” This inventive play street will give families a fun, green, and clean place to play in a underserved and park-deficient neighborhood in the city.
The Art Center and grant partners will host a design and development activities to discuss ideas for the play street and will work with artists, local non-profits and volunteers to carry out the plan. Possible innovations to the space include games painted on the ground, fence art, a trash & recycling receptacle, and community garden boxes with seating areas. Proposed interactive educational signs will share the green features of the alley, and offer ideas on nutrition and healthy living. Safety in the area will be enhanced with a barrier that can be closed when families are playing and fencing for the play street. English and Spanish signage will be installed to encourage full use of this play street by non-English speaking area residents.
We’ll be sure to share more information with you as this project develops.
Image courtesy of Kaboom.org.
Tags: featured
