June 3, 2026
Millbrook Arts Center Unveils Ambitious Mural Project Honoring City's Industrial Roots
A sweeping new public mural series is coming to downtown Millbrook, celebrating the city's century-old manufacturing heritage through the eyes of twelve local artists.
MILLBROOK, June 3 — The Millbrook Arts Center announced Monday that it has commissioned twelve local artists to create a series of large-scale murals across six downtown buildings, a project organizers are calling the most ambitious public art initiative the city has seen in decades. The "Steel & Soil" mural series will stretch across more than 4,000 square feet of exterior wall space, with installation scheduled to begin in late July and wrap up by Labor Day weekend.
Artists and Themes
Each artist was paired with a specific chapter of Millbrook's past — from the founding of the Harwick Textile Mill in 1891 to the closure of the Dunmore Foundry in 2003. Featured artists include ceramicist Delia Fontaine, muralist Tobias Greer, and mixed-media painter Sunita Prasad, all of whom have deep ties to the community. "We didn't want this to be a nostalgia trip," said Arts Center director Marguerite Holloway. "We wanted it to feel alive, relevant, and a little bit defiant."
Funding and Community Impact
The project is funded through a combination of a $180,000 state arts grant and $45,000 raised through a local crowdfunding campaign that exceeded its goal in under three weeks. The murals will be accompanied by a self-guided walking tour app, free community paint days where residents can contribute to designated sections, and a documentary short produced by students from Millbrook Community College. City Council member Patricia Vane called the project "exactly the kind of investment that reminds people why they love living here."
