“a public display of youthful energy”
“I am a long-time fan of the arts, and of the healing power that art can have on the individuals creating it, those experiencing it and the community hosting both. At the health center, we are so excited to now have that energy right on our walls! A public display of youthful energy, enthusiasm, hope and engagement! We can only hope to bring that perspective to our patients. We plan on more collaborations with Beyond Walls in the future.”
Kiame Mahaniah
CEO, Lynn Community Health Center
Click on images above to read more.
There is clearly a movement afoot in Lynn.
More from Superintendent Dr. Tutwiler
Beyond Walls has brought stunning beauty, pride and a can-do spirit to the great city of Lynn, and is inspiring other cities around Massachusetts and the nation that they, too, can use art as the foundation for building a local economy and community.
— Read full quote from Richard Henderson, MBTA’s Chief Real Estate Officer
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“I have been impressed and inspired by what Beyond Walls has contributed to the City of Lynn in such a short time. It is so much more than the works of public art that illuminate downtown Lynn. It has brought people together from all walks of life and shined a spotlight on what many of us already know—that Lynn is an incredible, diverse, proud city that is on the rise.”
Beyond Walls hasn’t created that sense of local pride in Lynn, it was always there. It’s just helped to showcase it to the world and local residents and former Lynn residents alike.
Read more from Jonathan Berk’s testimonial here
“TRUE CHAMPIONS Of OUR COMMUNITY…”
More from Andrea Baez, Lynn YMCA
Aaron Clausen
City Planner of Lynn, MA
“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the Beyond Walls team; learning more about their work, and the depth and breadth of projects currently underway in the City.
I especially appreciate their approach in engaging the City’s youth in all of the work that they do, whether it is evocative public art installations, placemaking efforts, or responding to the COVID-19 public health crisis with the WaSH and FoLD system.
I look forward to working with Beyond Walls in the coming year and expanding ways in which public art, cultural events, and placemaking efforts can celebrate community in Lynn.”
Photo by 13 Photography
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“In the summer of 2020, Tim Cummings, Director of Economic Development, brought the concept of handwashing stations to the attention of the City of Nashua Division of Public Health and Community Services. The discussion focused on the benefit of handwashing stations in the areas of the city where community members would not be able to perform good hand hygiene. Beyond Walls delivered 7 custom handwashing stations to serve Nashua’s downtown area. These stand alone hand washing stations were activated via foot pumps, used a great foaming soap and facilitated hand washes for our outdoor dining enthusiasts, general public as well as our cities vulnerable homeless population. They were extremely popular, a key asset to the city during the pandemic and most certainly helped mitigate the spread of the virus. Beyond Walls came through for the city of Nashua at a time when we needed it most. This public health intervention served the city and community well. I am delighted Beyond Walls continue to partner with the City of Nashua using a creative lens to help solve some of the city’s shared needs.”
David Gass, Director, Highlands Coalition
I highly respect and am greatly excited by what Beyond Walls has accomplished in Lynn in a very short time.
Utilizing many fine artists, you have brought Lynn from its nineteenth-century look and into the twenty-first century by putting its human face on old, drab buildings. You enliven the “Arts District” with a carnival atmosphere, with gaiety, aromas and music. You encourage people to live in once-drab buildings while showing the faces of people of color – people who for a long time lived in the shadows, but who can now smile at the sun-lite and prominence the murals give them.
You enable Lynn to look like the rainbow connection that it is becoming. I thank you for elevating the arts, for supporting our festival and for your friendship.
Dianne Hills
Executive Director, My Brother’s Table
Since the pandemic began impacting daily life, public health workers have emphasized the importance of hand washing as a way to stop the spread of COVID. Many of the most vulnerable people in our community have little access to places where they can wash their hands. As businesses have converted to to-go models, and their restrooms are closed to the public, people who are homeless or marginally housed are completely unable to protect themselves in the most basic of ways, by washing their hands. The WaSH stations are a way to ensure that all people have access to soap and clean water. They help create a community where all people have access to a necessity which also promotes public health. We are grateful to Beyond Walls for their generosity and creativity; we’re lucky to have such amazing partners in Lynn!
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“I was tasked by the city to put on several Dancing in the Park events over late summer/early fall. We had to come up with new COVID mitigation strategies on how the events could be fun and safe. It was easy enough to space people out, however the challenge became how to allow people to wash their hands after using the porta potties that were brought in for the event. That’s where Beyond Walls came in. They installed one of the WaSH stations in the park and it worked amazingly well. It was simple and effective and contributed to the overall safety of the event. Beyond Walls continues to be a wonderful partner for the City of Nashua and I look forward to all of our future endeavors.”
Photo by 13Photography
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“I have been a huge supporter of Beyond Walls, the art, murals and excitement you have brought to our community. Lynn is grateful for the hard-work and dedication from the entire Beyond Walls team. Adding a great group of local youth, who have been employed and volunteered, hugely impacts the youth of our community. From being a community volunteer myself to being elected as a City Counselor and seeing firsthand the impact Beyond Walls has made on our downtown area has definitely impressed me. Thank you.”
Photo by Spenser Hasak
