Volunteers are being sought for a mural painting project in Benton Harbor this week.
Jillian Nadolski with Cornerstone Alliance tells us they’re preparing to paint an alley behind the Cornerstone office as part of the Pipestone Alley Activation Project.
This goes back to 2022, when Berrien County was awarded a $2.6 million Michigan Economic Development Corporation grant to make improvements in Benton Harbor and Niles with the help of partner agencies. One proposal was to beautify the alley bounded by Pipestone Avenue, West Main Street, Colfax Street, and Wall Street..
“The alley activation project includes the mural,” Nadolski said. “We’re doing a larger lighting installation down the span of the alley, putting in some outdoor furniture, kind of making a outdoor work environment and community gathering space.”
Nadolski says artist Kimberly Wood has been hired to design the mural, and she’s already started preparing for the project to be painted. Cornerstone Alliance is seeking volunteers who will help starting this Wednesday.
“She’ll have it stenciled out. It’ll be kind of like a paint by number. We’ve got materials on site, and it’ll be a giant coloring page on the surface of the alley, and we’re hoping to have it done by this weekend.”
Nadolski says any help will be appreciated, and those who sign up should wear clothing they don’t mind getting paint on.
The mural itself has an abstract design that conjures images of a city skyline and sunset to Nadolski.
You can sign up to volunteer right here.
