AARP AWARDS ARTS ON DIVISION A GRANT FOR THE

GREENWAY MURAL PROJECT

SOMERVILLE, NJ – AARP New Jersey has awarded Somerville’s Arts on Division a grant in the amount of $8,314 for the purpose of creating decorative crosswalks at a major intersection connecting the Peter’s Brook Greenway.

The Greenway Mural Project will be a street mural at the intersection of Bridge and Green Street in Somerville.  New Jersey artist Leon Rainbow will design the mural and the community will be invited to paint it. The design will be unveiled in early 2023.

The painting event is open to all ages and is scheduled for Saturday, May 13, 2023.

The mural project is an artistic way to connect the Peters Brook Greenway with the community surrounding it.  The Peters Brook Greenway is part of the Somerset County Greenway, a series of linked trails providing pedestrian and cycling linkages between neighborhoods and commercial areas throughout the county.

Rainbow commented, “My art is a fusion of life and imagination. I take graffiti and morph it with fine art, combined with an underlying message. This allows me to reach a wide variety of people.” He continues, “The image relates more to youth, the message to adults. My design pulls them together bringing them to the middle ground to which they relate.”

“We are incredibly excited to support Arts on Division as they work to foster walkability, connectivity, creativity and community engagement through this intergenerational public art project,” said AARP New Jersey State Director, Stephanie Hunsinger. “Our goal at AARP New Jersey is to support the efforts of our communities to be great places for people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities.”

The Greenway Mural Project will be executed by Arts on Division and community volunteers of all ages. Arts On Division (AOD) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building community through the arts and arts education. AOD promotes the advancement, development and support of the visual, musical, physical and literary arts with the belief this will positively contribute to the quality of life for all residents and contribute to economic and community development in the Borough of Somerville, New Jersey and its surrounding areas. 

Among the AOD projects are the Annual Fall Arts Festival, the Raymond Brown Memorial Mural, the Jerome Gonzalez Memorial Mural, the Gallery on Division, the Seward Johnson Sculpture series on Main Street, the Mary Bonnell public sculptures, the Paul Robeson Portrait at Giardina Way and numerous pop-up gallery exhibits.

Volunteers interested in participating should contact Susan Antin at [email protected].

For more information visit:  www.artsondivision.com or https://www.facebook.com/SomervilleAOD/

PHOTO CAPTION: Peters Brook in Somerville, part of the Peters Brook Greenway

PRESS CONTACT: Rich Reitman 908-526-1390 - [email protected]