BETHLEHEM, Pa. — As part of a broader mission to put up a “peace wall” in all 50 states, locals in the Bethlehem area, including over 200 grade-school students over two years, worked together to bring a new mural to life at Bernie Fritz Playground.
The art piece at Atwood and Memorial avenues features iconic Moravian imagery, quite a spread of color and a look at the artists’ visual takes on what peace means to them.
CITYarts, a public art and education nonprofit, helped join the students with area art teachers and local muralist Matt Halm in making the work happen. The operation also involved Moravian University, ArtsQuest, the city of Bethlehem and the Bethlehem Area School District.
“This peace wall will not be just an art piece that brought beautiful minds together to think and wish for peace. But in fact, [it will] inject that desire in every one of the community members to want peace, to desire peace, to think peace in all different ways."Tsipi Ben-Haim, CITYarts executive director
50 States of Peace, CITYarts’ most recent initiative, was launched in March, with hopes of involving students from each state “in public art projects collaborating with artists to create Peace Wall murals where they can visualize peace concepts and turn them into actual works of art,” a news release reads.
Bethlehem makes for the group’s third peace wall, though six total are expected to be unveiled by October in other places around the country, including one in Cleveland, Ohio.
'Brought beautiful minds together'
Tsipi Ben-Haim, CITYarts executive director, said kids should always be kept busy creating; if they’re not, “mischief” can come along.
But beyond that, the broader community always seems to cherish such projects when completed, she said.
“This peace wall will not be just an art piece that brought beautiful minds together to think and wish for peace,” she said. “But in fact, [it will] inject that desire in every one of the community members to want peace, to desire peace, to think peace in all different ways. … Give peace a chance.”
An investment in the community
Ben-Haim said she’s always believed in investing in the human imagination, especially that of the youth.
“With every peace wall, with every project that CITYarts creates, we plant seeds for creative, caring, new, young leaders of the future,” Ben-Haim said.
She said the community fundraised to make the mural happen, but the local arts council in Bethlehem helped to cover some of the artist fees.
“With every peace wall, with every project that CITYarts creates, we plant seeds for creative, caring, new, young leaders of the future."Tsipi Ben-Haim, CITYarts executive director
Around the world and over its 35 years as a group, CITYarts has helped to create 370 public art projects, impacting more than 100,000 students, 200 volunteers and over 600 contributing artists, according to the group’s website.
The organization currently holds its art workshops in over 20 states.
CITYarts’ current collaborations include the groups in Bethlehem; New Haven, Connecticut; Yale School of Art; and the students of John P. Freeman Optional School in Memphis, Tennessee.
