(June 8, 2017) The Berlin Arts and Entertainment Committee said it hopes to work with the Germantown School Community Heritage Center on phase three of a planned five-phase public mural.
The first two panels are on display on the north-facing wall of the Berlin Visitor’s Center on 14 South Main Street.
Muralist John Donato worked on phase one with students from Buckingham Elementary and on phase two with children from Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services, both based in Berlin, last year.
The committee is considering a GoFundMe campaign to help produce the remainder of the mural, which cost about $5,000 per panel.
“We’re looking at another $15,000 just to finish the mural project that was started on the visitor’s center,” committee member Robin Tomaselli said last week. “We’re hoping that the third panel would get finished this summer.”
She admitted finding collaborators sometimes proves difficult, but said the committee wanted to include a group in each phase that “represented the community as a whole and offered art to people that were at risk.”
“At Buckingham, the teachers identified second- and third-grade students at risk that needed something positive to be a part of – the same thing [happened] at Worcester Youth and Family,” she said.
For the third panel, the committee looked to work with a local fire company, but were unable to make contact.
“One thing we’ve all really tried to make a strong effort towards is to be community builders in addition to being arts and entertainment, and to help bridge some of these gaps with art,” Tomaselli said.
The committee has focused on what Tomaselli called “a line in the sand” between parts of Berlin on either side of Route 113.
“I’ve had kids – little kids – articulate to me that this part of Berlin is not their part of Berlin, and I think that’s tragic,” she said.
Last fall, the committee held an event called “Artists Giving Back: Meals for the Hungry,” which fed several hundred people at the St. Paul United Methodist Church on Flower Street. Two similar events are planned this year.
“It was spectacular, because when people were all sitting there sharing a meal, serving each other, people forgot that they were white or black or rich or poor or whatever – we were just people,” Tomaselli said. “It was amazing.”
She said the committee contacted supporters of Germantown School, a building that operated during the segregation area, but was recently restored as a cultural center.
“It was kind of resurrected by some community members who have lived here their whole lives. It means a lot to them,” she said. “It’s a beautiful piece of property. They’re interested in community outreach and they’re interested in arts and entertainment.”
Tomaselli said she attended a recent board meeting in Germantown and asked about the possibility of a collaboration.
“For the third panel of the mural project, our idea is to have a real community potluck with no other goal than hoping people will cross from this side of 113 over, and we can all share a meal together,” Tomaselli said.
The event would include a community paint night with Donato, she added. No date was set as of press time.
The Germantown School Community Heritage Center will hold a “Dancing Under the Stars” event this Friday, June 9, from 7-11 p.m.
Tickets are $25 and can be obtained by calling 410-641-0638 to reserve a seat. The event is described as a night of blues, jazz and fellowship under a big tent in the spacious former schoolyard. VT Second Edition, formerly The Vibratones, will perform.
For more information, search “Germantown School Community Heritage Center, Berlin, MD” on Facebook.
For more information on the Berlin Arts and Entertainment Committee, or to volunteer or donate to the mural project, visit www.artsinberlin.org.
The first two panels are on display on the north-facing wall of the Berlin Visitor’s Center on 14 South Main Street.
Muralist John Donato worked on phase one with students from Buckingham Elementary and on phase two with children from Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services, both based in Berlin, last year.
The committee is considering a GoFundMe campaign to help produce the remainder of the mural, which cost about $5,000 per panel.
“We’re looking at another $15,000 just to finish the mural project that was started on the visitor’s center,” committee member Robin Tomaselli said last week. “We’re hoping that the third panel would get finished this summer.”
She admitted finding collaborators sometimes proves difficult, but said the committee wanted to include a group in each phase that “represented the community as a whole and offered art to people that were at risk.”
“At Buckingham, the teachers identified second- and third-grade students at risk that needed something positive to be a part of – the same thing [happened] at Worcester Youth and Family,” she said.
For the third panel, the committee looked to work with a local fire company, but were unable to make contact.
“One thing we’ve all really tried to make a strong effort towards is to be community builders in addition to being arts and entertainment, and to help bridge some of these gaps with art,” Tomaselli said.
The committee has focused on what Tomaselli called “a line in the sand” between parts of Berlin on either side of Route 113.
“I’ve had kids – little kids – articulate to me that this part of Berlin is not their part of Berlin, and I think that’s tragic,” she said.
Last fall, the committee held an event called “Artists Giving Back: Meals for the Hungry,” which fed several hundred people at the St. Paul United Methodist Church on Flower Street. Two similar events are planned this year.
“It was spectacular, because when people were all sitting there sharing a meal, serving each other, people forgot that they were white or black or rich or poor or whatever – we were just people,” Tomaselli said. “It was amazing.”
She said the committee contacted supporters of Germantown School, a building that operated during the segregation area, but was recently restored as a cultural center.
“It was kind of resurrected by some community members who have lived here their whole lives. It means a lot to them,” she said. “It’s a beautiful piece of property. They’re interested in community outreach and they’re interested in arts and entertainment.”
Tomaselli said she attended a recent board meeting in Germantown and asked about the possibility of a collaboration.
“For the third panel of the mural project, our idea is to have a real community potluck with no other goal than hoping people will cross from this side of 113 over, and we can all share a meal together,” Tomaselli said.
The event would include a community paint night with Donato, she added. No date was set as of press time.
The Germantown School Community Heritage Center will hold a “Dancing Under the Stars” event this Friday, June 9, from 7-11 p.m.
Tickets are $25 and can be obtained by calling 410-641-0638 to reserve a seat. The event is described as a night of blues, jazz and fellowship under a big tent in the spacious former schoolyard. VT Second Edition, formerly The Vibratones, will perform.
For more information, search “Germantown School Community Heritage Center, Berlin, MD” on Facebook.
For more information on the Berlin Arts and Entertainment Committee, or to volunteer or donate to the mural project, visit www.artsinberlin.org.