The mural is this year's project from the
Leadership Manhattan Beach Class of 2022. The
goal, according to the group, is to
"develop community spirit by promoting inclusion, collaboration,
creativity, and mental well-being; while increasing visibility of the MB
Art Center."
On April 30, Leadership MB will host a one-day community event in which members
of
the community - preteens through adults - are invited to assist in painting the
mural. Barnes will then add finishing touches to complete the painting.
Mural Choice Reflects Community Survey
Rita
Crabtree-Kampe, a member of the Leadership MB Class of 2022, told the
Manhattan Beach City Council last month that the wall had been previously
identified by the Cultural Arts Commission as a
good site for a mural.
The mural would be helpful in drawing attention and awareness to the Art
Center, she said.
"Even people who have lived in Manhattan Beach
for their entire lives are often surprised that we even have an arts
center," she said. "A mural would be a great landmark public piece of
artwork, and a great source of pride for the community."
Leadership Manhattan Beach had proposed two mural options and surveyed the community through an
online survey, postcards to immediate neighbors, and knocking on doors of nearby neighbors.
All told, they captured 390 responses, with 172 in favor of the Barnes design and 163 in favor of a Nichole Blackburn design. (Some gave no preference or alternate preferences.)
At Tuesday night's City Council meeting, one immediate neighbor,
Dow Li-Kou, spoke up against the mural, saying that she represented three households closest to the mural who not been reached during the canvassing process and were opposed to the project. Li-Kou said that the households felt that it would invite graffiti and bring down property values.
Nevertheless, City Council agreed to move forward with the project.
Manhattan Beach Art Center Mural Timeline
The tentative schedule for the remainder of the project is as follows:
March 15-April 15: Outreach to community participants, including preteens, teens, and adults;
April 30: Mural creation date;
May TBA: Ribbon cutting; community and sponsor recognition.
Leadership
Manhattan Beach will pay for the cost of the mural through its
fundraising. Maintenance of the mural would be assumed by the city of
Manhattan Beach through its Public Art Trust Fund.
Leadership Manhattan Beach Community Projects
Leadership
Manhattan Beach is a comprehensive 9-month
leadership program to educate and develop future community leaders. The
program, which runs from September through May of each year, culminates
in a final project to benefit the community.
Previous Leadership Manhattan Beach projects have included refurbishing the Manhattan Beach Santa Float, installing bicycle fix-it stations, and equipping Manhattan Beach Police Department vehicles and strategic
businesses throughout the community with Automated External Defibrillators.
