The Rutgers-Newark community and city residents will kick off PRIDE month by repainting “Sound the Rainbow!,” a two-block 550 foot-long asphalt mural. The event will be held June 1 at Treat Place and Maiden Lane.
The mural faded since it was painted last July but will be brightened with a fresh coat of paint in a day-long celebration that runs from at 10 am to 6 p.m. No painting experience is necessary. The day will also be filled with music and other activities for volunteers. To sign up, go here.
The day will include:
- A youth activity zone facilitated by local artists Mashell Black and Damien Davis
- An afternoon of music and performances curated by YEIMY, Janétza Miranda and Shell Spin
“Sound the Rainbow” is the second of two community ground murals being repainted this season. The first, refurbished earlier this month, is the “All Black Lives Matter” mural on Halsey Street, originally painted in the spring of 2020, after the murder of George Floyd sparked a wave of protests nationwide.
Since then, the original mural has been worn by traffic. But it was restored last week with help from Rutgers-Newark students, residents and community groups, who drafted letterforms and repainted the vivid yellow declaration.
“Over the past four years, these murals have brought together thousands of people. In moments of unrest, they have stood as powerful statements, providing vital spaces for community building, care, and healing. They have been steadfast symbols of solidarity and sources of unbridled joy,’’ said Rebecca Jampol, director of Project for Empty Space, which helped organize the events.
This ground mural re-painting programs are presented and supported by the City of Newark Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs, Newark Alliance, Rutgers University-Newark Office of the Chancellor, and ACM Graphic Design Program. Organizing partners include Express Newark, Equal Space, Four Corners Public Arts, Newark Arts, New Arts Justice and Project for Empty Space.
