Stratton Academy Receives $20,000 Grant for Arts-Integrated Racial Healing Project

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The Stratton Academy of the Arts in Champaign, Illinois has been awarded a $20,000 grant from Healing Illinois to launch a new, arts-integrated initiative called 'Healing Through Place'. The project aims to foster racial healing, community connection, and a strong sense of belonging for students and the surrounding community through various creative components, including a historical zine, school mural, student-led oral history project, and a large-scale basketball court mural.

Why it matters

The grant and resulting project highlight the power of the arts to bring a community together, preserve local history, and promote racial healing. As the first Black councilman in Champaign's history, the school's namesake Kenneth Stratton will be a key focus of the student research and creative work.

The details

The 'Healing Through Place' initiative includes four major components: a historical zine project, a school mural, a student-led oral history project and website, and a 58-foot by 101-foot basketball court mural. Students will explore local history, storytelling, and public art, with a focus on the legacy of Kenneth Stratton. Artist Oscar Joyo will work with students to design the school mural celebrating African American culture and history, while a local artist-educator will guide the oral history project. The basketball court mural will transform a shared community space into a visual symbol of pride.

• The grant was announced earlier this week.
• Artist Oscar Joyo's visit to Stratton Academy is scheduled for the week of February 23.

What’s next

Artist Oscar Joyo's visit to Stratton Academy is scheduled for the week of February 23, when he will work with students on designing the school mural.