Ribbon-Cutting for “Flying and Flourishing” – A 3-Piece Mural on Burbank Place

The Pittsfield Let It Shine! Public Art Partnership, under the direction of Artist in Residence Huck Elling, worked with students at Pittsfield High School to paint a mural entitled “Flying and Flourishing.” This vibrant work of art is installed at Burbank Place, joining their previous tile mural, “Shapes of Togetherness.” The public is invited to the unveiling and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new work on Friday, May 2, at 6 pm, as part of First Fridays at Five.

The students chose to continue transforming the previously selected location of Burbank Place, harnessing the artistic momentum to bring meaningful color and vibrancy to a spot they feel is too frequently described as dreary or graffiti-filled.

As part of Let It Shine’s ongoing initiative to connect students with local artists, the group met twice a week to conceptualize and design the mural under the guidance of Artist in Residence Huck Elling and Sophie Possick, a first-year student from Williams College serving as a Public Art Intern.

As a Public Art Intern, Possick listened to the students’ ideas and drew up sketches to bring their plans to life. “The students wanted to keep bringing light to this space and immediately knew they wanted to incorporate flowers and bugs into their designs,” said Possick. “Watching the students go from talking to sketching to a final product was a wonderful experience. I’m so grateful that I got the opportunity to serve as a vehicle for the students to bounce ideas off of and that I got to know and spend time with all of them.”

Many students returned to the project, eager to continue their work with Let It Shine! Among them was Kenny Davis, a 12th-grade student, who shared, “We wanted to concentrate our energy in one space to create a bigger impact. By focusing on this spot, we achieved something truly special.”

Catherine Hennessey, a 9th-grade participant, highlighted the mural’s thematic focus: “By choosing flowers and bugs, we’re literally bringing life to this space. The alleyway is dark, and real flowers can’t grow there—but now they can through our art.”

The mission of Let It Shine! is centered on making art accessible to everyone, fostering confidence in Pittsfield, and strengthening connections between residents and their downtown. The Let It Shine! Public Art Partnership is a collective of Pittsfield-based community members, including Downtown Pittsfield, Inc./Downtown Pittsfield Cultural Association (fiscal agent), the City of Pittsfield’s Office of Cultural Development, Pittsfield Artists in Residence Huck Elling and Jesse Tobin McCauley, and the Mill Town Foundation. Together, they are dedicated to organizing public art initiatives and revitalizing North Street, supported by MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI). TDI is a program designed to stimulate economic growth in Gateway Cities by focusing on key districts.

Let It Shine! is continuing its mentoring program in Pittsfield Public Schools near downtown this year. The program aims to educate and inspire young artists while strengthening connections between youth and downtown, contributing to economic and community well-being. Local youth participate in public art projects exploring activism, environmentalism, and entrepreneurship.

Let It Shine! expresses gratitude for support from its major sponsors: Mill Town Foundation, Lee Bank, Feigenbaum Foundation, TDI Local funding from MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative, and the Pittsfield Cultural Council.

Special appreciation is given to NBT Bank for their support and to Rich Altman and Adam Hersch of Cavalier Central Block, LLC, for their generous contribution to this project.

For more information on the Pittsfield Let It Shine! Public Art Partnership, email Artist in Residence Huck Elling at huckelling@gmail.com or call the City of Pittsfield’s Office of Cultural Development at 413-499-9348.