Second Glance

Still reeling from the loss of the coal and coke industry,
compounded with the devastating effects of the
opioid epidemic, small rural communities throughout
Appalachia appear to have little opportunity for
residents and visitors alike, and at first glance,
Portsmouth seems no different…

…but slow down and you’ll catch a glimpse of what
the rest of us have been seeing for years: a community
on the brink of total transformation. With an unmatched energy for revitalization, local residents are committed to progress and are introducing grassroots initiatives to re-imagine and re-invent the city from the inside out, developing opportunities where none previously existed and daring you to take a second glance.

Second Glance is a two-year collaborative art-making project to engage and empower the Portsmouth community and revitalize areas of impact by installing community created public art such as:

• Asphalt art
  (crosswalks, sidewalks, intersections, street murals)

• Community photography

• Storefront art & vinyl photography

• Basketball court murals at Mound Park

• Interactive poetry buttons

• Murals

• Utility box art

• Installations, environments, and collaborative sculpture

• Happenings and performance art

  
  Artwork focuses on promoting positivity and local culture, and will engage the
  community at every process, from design to installation.
  
  Click here to see the full project proposal.