Mural Mentorship Program
Monday, June 9, 2025 3:00 PM - Sunday, June 29, 2025 5:30 PM (EDT)
Description
Rutherford County youth and young adults have the incredible opportunity to join and be mentored through a collaborative public art project that uplifts the history and future of our local food system. The Mural Mentorship Program (MMP) participants will help paint a large mural in downtown Rutherfordton to be installed and dedicated this summer.
We will organize three mentee cohorts, grouped by age, to meet twice weekly for three weeks in June. The full commitment is 5 hours a week, totaling 15 hours. The cohorts will be trained in painting techniques (including brushwork and aerosol art) and experience presentations on our local food systems, future food security efforts, and Public Art as a tool for community revitalization. The mentees will be guests of honor at a mural dedication party that highlights their stories about the creative process. Mural Mentorship Program participants will have an exquisitely beautiful public reminder of a collaborative, inspirational, purpose-driven, and relationship-building process. Together, we will animate a community vision, and demonstrate our collective power.
We are seeking applicants who are enthusiastic about the visual arts, ready to learn and work cooperatively with their peers. We request that mentees are present for each session over the course of 3 weeks – starting June 9th and concluding 28th
We are grateful fort the co-sponsorship and coordination with the Rutherford County Food Council and the Rutherford County Visual Arts Guild. This project is supported by the Town of Rutherfordton and the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
Applications are being accepted through May 1st, and mentorships will be approved by May 9th.
There is limited space for participation. Applications may be dropped off in the Norris Square Public Library or mailed to Dreaming Stone, 382 Pleasant Hill Rd, Rutherfordton, NC 28139.
We encourage anyone ages 12 to 30 who has interest and who may fulfill the time commitment to apply for this program.
We request that mentees meet twice weekly for 2.5-hour-long sessions. We are choosing 2 times that work best for applicants out of the options presented here.
**Middle School Schedule TBD: Mon or Wed from 3 to 5:30 pm and Sat either 10 to 12:30 pm or 3 to 5:30 pm.
**High School Schedule TBD: Mon or Wed from 3 to 5:30 pm and Sat either 10 to 12:30 pm or 3 to 5:30 pm.
**Young Adult Schedule: Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 9 p.m. and Sunday afternoons, time TBD.
