A Decade of Collaboration in Read Between the Signs

This summer, I am working to write and design a book that brings together many of the Art & the Environment Initiative projects from the past ten years. Namely, the Signs and Flowers, Read Between the Signs, Greening the Gateway, Market House garden, and I-79 efforts. Each of these projects represent powerful and lasting instances of continuous collaboration between Allegheny College, the local community, PennDOT, and other partners from even farther away.

Upon its completion, the book will be a visual showcase of what can be accomplished when we are open to the ideas of others, and how a community can truly shape itself into something both beautiful and meaningful, creating place in an extraordinarily unique way.

In addition to this work, I am also designing this year's Civic Engagement Newsletter, which will soon be found both online (civicengagement.allegheny.edu) and in select locations around campus in physical form. The newsletter, written this year by Emily Bacheller, seeks to complement this blog by revealing the fantastic work that Allegheny students, faculty and staff have done in the past year with our community partners to make Meadville a place to be proud of, and a place that is continually growing more beautiful in both visage and spirit.

If you have any questions about either of these projects, or have something you'd like to contribute to them, please do contact me at valentd@allegheny.edu.