FAIRMONT, W.Va. – Murals are going up around West Virginia ahead of Independence Day, with the state’s 55 counties participating in the America250 mural project.
The murals depict historical figures and images, as well as visuals that capture the spirit of the individual counties. Artists from around the state are taking part, with Fairmont State University art professor Joel Dugan and his students among those joining the project.
“Each county was given the opportunity to identify an artist and come up with a concept that was unique to their county and help to maybe enrich some history in that county or shine some light on some significant efforts that have been made on behalf of their communities,” Dugan said last week on MetroNews Midday.
Counties received grants from the state Department of Tourism, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, to help make their visions come to life. Dugan and other artists across the state are turning those ideas into reality.
“A big part of our mission at the university is to make sure that we’re giving back to our community, to enrich our way of life, and, hopefully, to also uplift people whose story might not have been told well enough,” he said.
Communities across the state are approaching the mural project with a plan to see their history put on display. Dugan believes West Virginians are thrilled with the chance to see their stories told.
“We love to feel like the history of our place is being referenced in the development of our towns so the murals bring a point of bonding to our communities,” he said.
Once completed, the America250 murals will become part of a statewide trail laid out by the tourism department. That will allow visitors to seek out the art and experience the community while they do.
“Each one will have a concept, and that concept is enriched in the history and, in many ways, the important elements of those counties, so not only do you see the mural, but you can research the history of what all that symbolism is in the physical counties themselves,” Dugan said.
Dugan and his students, along with other artists around the state, continue to work on murals ahead of the state’s America250 celebration this weekend.