Grant funded mural in Sacramento aims to heal connect and educate through large scale storytelling

Sacramento, California – Next spring, a big handwoven mural that honors ethnic traditions and a shared identity will go up in South Sacramento. The temporary public art piece, called “Threads of Belonging,” will be about 8 by 30 feet and will be based on the textile traditions of the Palestinian, Filipino, and Hmong cultures.

The installation will be on the outside of the Valley Hi–North Laguna Library. It is a joint effort between the District 8 council office, the City of Sacramento’s Office of Arts and Culture, and local artists collaborating with Culture through Cloth. Organizers say the project will be both a visual landmark and a mirror of the communities that define the area around it.

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City officials believe the mural comes at a very important time. Councilmember Mai Vang said that creative expression can help people heal and come together while also honoring the strength and dignity of District 8’s culture. The City supports the project, but the money comes from outside the city, such as a grant from the National Academy of Design’s Abbey Mural Prize and other donations from the community. Fundraising to cover installation costs is still underway.

The Art in Public Places program helps city workers plan, get permissions, and get licenses so that the piece can be seen on public property. Arts authorities claim that the building-scale design would visually blend color, culture, and storytelling into a common public area. It will also be educational for both library visitors and residents.

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The project is based on getting people in the community involved. From February to April, Culture through Cloth will hold hands-on workshops at the library that teach traditional crafts including Hmong paj ntaub appliqué, Ilocano kusikus weaving, and Palestinian tatreez embroidery. There will also be open studio sessions, but because there isn’t enough space, people will have to apply to join.

The artists who are taking part in the project say that traditional textile work can protect, heal, and link people. The project wants to show off Sacramento’s rich cultural diversity and the sense of community that brings people together by getting people to study, make, and think together.

Information about the project, workshop dates and registration is available at culturethroughcloth.com/threadsofbelonging.