Awarded By National Association of Counties (NACo)

The Hamilton Glass Mural Project reimagines the power of libraries to bring communities together in a productive way to help the community inspire change. Hamilton Glass is a respected painter and muralist in the Richmond area known for his Mending Walls RVA Mural Project which helped spark conversations about race, equity, and social justice. For the library project, he worked with community members to create murals in three branches: Varina, Libbie Mill, and Tuckahoe. Each mural focused on one aspect of the library’s mission statement: to “promote reading and lifelong learning, connect people with the information they need, and enrich community life.” The project was a collaboration between HCPL Adult Systemwide Programming and the Virginia Museum of Fine Art. The result provides a space for meaningful conversation and community collaboration for dialogue about social justice and healing in our communities.