![FINAL - Header Image for Regional Trails Creative Placemaking Project (1) A photo showing different trails, art, and graphics. Decorative.](https://www.mapc.org/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/FINAL-Header-Image-for-Regional-Trails-Creative-Placemaking-Project-1-panorama.png)
Announcement: Holliston Mural Artist has been Selected!
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) and the Town of Holliston are delighted to announce that Caoin O’Durgy, a talented artist based in Somerville, MA, has been selected to create vibrant murals that will connect Holliston Downtown and the Rail Trail.
Regional Trails Creative Placemaking Strategy
This project will generate a creative placemaking strategy to help subregions and individual municipalities strengthen connections between regional trails and local commercial areas and to enhance a sense of representation and belonging for the diverse communities living in these subregions.
Process
The Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s (MAPC) Arts & Culture and Transportation Departments will work with the Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination (MAGIC) and MetroWest Regional Collaborative (MWRC) subregions, as well as with the Town of Acton and the Town of Holliston to complete the Regional Trails Creative Placemaking Strategy project from May 2023 – August 2024.
Funding
The project is funded through Barr Foundation support for MAPC's Arts and Culture Department, the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Unified Planning Work Program, and the MAGIC and MetroWest subregional funds. In addition, the Town of Acton and the Town of Holliston will contribute in-kind contributions of staff time to support the work.
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MAPC's Role
MAPC’s role is to assess the opportunity for creative placemaking interventions in the MAGIC and MetroWest subregions through an existing conditions analysis. In addition, MAPC will advise the formation of Creative Placemaking Advisory Groups in Acton and Holliston and provide technical assistance and funding to the participating municipalities to commission artists and creatives. In addition, MAPC will support the process of commissioning creative works that activate connection areas between trail access points and local commercial areas as a demonstration of the potential of creative placemaking to enhance the Landline Regional Trail Network as a local and regional resource. In addition to other project deliverables, MAPC staff will develop the curriculum for and facilitate a one-day Creative Placemaking Training Workshop inviting representatives from the two municipalities, as well as representatives from both the MAGIC and MetroWest subregional cohorts.
For more information, please contact Archana Menon, MAPC Arts and Culture Fellow at amenon@mapc.org.
Importance
Creative placemaking is a community-led process that brings artists into community development and planning projects in order to connect people and places in new and innovative ways, while still honoring the history and distinctiveness of the place. This approach to placemaking aims to activate underutilized spaces, enhance community engagement, and promote economic development in surrounding areas.
Creative placemaking on trails can also be a powerful tool for building a welcoming and inclusive community. It leverages a community's arts and cultural assets to encourage social interaction and engage diverse communities, foster a sense of pride and ownership for one’s community and create a sense of place. It can increase access and equity by addressing barriers that may prevent certain community members from using the space, thereby collaboratively shaping a place’s physical and social character.
The MAPC Regional Trails Creative Placemaking Strategy will, therefore, help the participating municipalities achieve the following goals, thereby advancing a shared vision for creating vibrant, inclusive neighborhoods:
Meet Selected Mural Artist Caoin O’Durgy
Murals in Process
![Regional Trails Creative Placemaking Selected Artist Caoin in Holliston 2 Artist Caoin in a white tshirt and jeans stands painting a mural on a large wooden building. He is standing on a blue tarp.](https://www.mapc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Caoin-in-Holliston-2-scaled.jpeg)
Selected artist Caoin painting one of the murals in Holliston | Photo Credit: MAPC
![Caoin with Holliston Town staff and MAPC Arts and Culture Fellow Four people stand together facing the camera and smiling with a painted mural on a large wooden wall behind them. They are standing on a blue tarp. From left to right: person with short hair, wearing a sea green tshirt and black shorts. Selected artist Caoin wearing a white tshirt and jeans. A person wearing dark pants a white shirt and a dark cardigan over the shirt. MAPC Arts Fellow Archana wearing a dark blue short sleeve shirt and black shorts.](https://www.mapc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Caoin-with-Holliston-Town-staff-and-MAPC-Arts-and-Culture-Fellow-scaled.jpeg)
From left to right: Melanie Hamblen, Holliston Economic Development Coordinator; selected artist Caoin; Kathleen Buckley, Holliston Assistant Town Manager; and MAPC Arts and Culture Fellow Archana Menon | Photo Credit: MAPC
![Doors of the Blair Square Pavilion Mural painted by Caoin on the doors of the Blair Square Pavilion. An illustration of numerous buildings in a town with animals such as rabbits, mice, and more as the towns people. Text says "explore Holliston" and it includes "@thegoodboy.collective"](https://www.mapc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Doors-of-the-Blair-Square-Pavilion-scaled.jpg)
Mural painted by selected artist Caoin on the Blaire Square Pavilion in Holliston | Photo Credit: MAPC
![Electric Box at Washington & Hollis St. Mural painted by selected artist Caoin on an electric box at Washington and Hollis Street in Holliston. It's an abstract illustration of different types of animals as towns people standing in front of buildings. Text on it says, "Look towards our future! Explore Holliston!" and "@thegoodboy.collective"](https://www.mapc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Electric-Box-at-Washington-Hollis-St-scaled.jpg)
Art mural painted by selected artist Caoin on an electric box at Washington and Hollis Street in Holliston | Photo Credit: MAPC
![Electric Box at Washington and Green St Mural painted by selected artist Caoin on an electric box at Washington and Green Street in Hollison. It's an illustration of the bottom of half of people - pants, skirts, walking through doorways. Text says, "Walk with Us! Explore Holliston" and "@thegoodboy.collective".](https://www.mapc.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Electric-Box-at-Washington-and-Green-St-scaled.jpg)
Mural painted by selected artist Caoin on an electric box at Washington and Green Street in Holliston | Photo Credit: MAPC
Application Materials Archive
For more information about the project, contact MAPC’s Arts and Culture Fellow, Archana Menon at amenon@mapc.org.