June 2025 – Colville, WA — Colville Together is thrilled to announce it has been awarded a $3,000 grant from Innovia Foundation to support a new youth-led mural project as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance public spaces and foster community pride.
This funding, awarded through Innovia’s 2025 Community Grant Program, aligns with this year’s funding theme of Youth Engagement—aimed at creating more opportunities for young people to connect, contribute, and reduce social isolation. With support from Innovia, Colville Together will partner with Colville Junior High School to involve student artists in the design and creation of a public mural in downtown Colville.
The mural, set to be installed in Heritage Court, will continue Colville Together’s mission to revitalize and activate public spaces. The project will be led by the Colville Junior High art teacher and will include student workshops, design showcases, and public painting days to bring the community together.
This initiative builds on the success of a recent mural created by Colville Junior High students in the fall of 2024. Inspired by a national kindness campaign launched by CBS News and Character Counts!, art teacher Amy Anderson led her students in designing and painting a mural with a powerful message of compassion and empathy. The mural, located on the back side of the school facing the football field, was a true labor of love, with students working during class and after school. Through their artwork and teamwork, students explored themes of character and connection—bringing the message “kindness matters” to life in bold color and creative expression. The experience left a lasting impact on the students, reinforcing how small acts of kindness can make a big difference.
“We are excited to give young people a visible and lasting role in shaping the look and feel of downtown,” said Rosemary Shaw, Executive Director of Colville Together. “Thanks to Innovia Foundation, we can continue our mural program with a strong focus on youth voices, creativity, and community connection.”
Over the past two years, Colville Together has completed four community murals and looks forward to adding more student-led artwork that celebrates local identity and encourages shared pride in public spaces.
To learn more about Colville Together’s mural program and how you can get involved, visit colvilletogether.org.
