Arkansas Peace Week 7th Street Murals

The Arkansas Coalition for Peace and Justice received a Lower Mississippi Delta Local Heritage Grant in 2022 to interpret and maintain the 7^th Street Murals in Little Rock, Arkansas. As part of their project, they also organized multiple educational events as part of the annual Arkansas Peace Week.

Little Rock's 7th Street Murals are a focal point of the social justice movement in Arkansas. The first mural was painted on 7th Street in 2015. Each year local artists have collaborated to expand the mural to send an ongoing message of inclusion and peace to the community.

On Sunday September 25, 2022, the 7th Street Mural Festival educated the community about the 7th Street Murals, their artists, and their important messages of peace and justice. The festival featured art, food, music, children's activities, and discussions with artists and activist groups. Guests had a unique opportunity to use their artistic skills and help paint one of the murals. This event was planned in coordination with Arkansas Peace Week and the 7th Street Mural Project. Over 500 people attended the event.

Artists featured at the event included:

• Tanya Holifield
• Hamid Ebrahimifar
• Dedicated Visual Art Studio
• Stacy McKenney and JATSO Designz LLC
• Judd Mann Art Glass
• Krystal DeLani
• Lauren Crosthwait/ Wolf of the Ozarks
• Sulac Art Stuff

Non-Profits featured at the event included:

• Arkansas Coalition for Peace and Justice
• Arkansas Community Organizations
• Arkansas Sierra Club
• Arkansas WAND
• Central Arkansas Democratic Socialists of America
• Central Arkansas Water
• Compassion Works for All
• Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
• Pax Christi Little Rock
• Pulaski County Democratic Women
• Who Decides Inc.

Arkansas Peace Week celebrates “Peacemaking” as a means to instill justice, build stronger communities, alleviate poverty, promote ecological stewardship, end war, and eliminate the scourge of violence in our society, while seeking respect, inclusion and fair treatment of all people. The Arkansas Coalition for Peace and Justice compiled programs to help schools and youth organizations take concrete steps to counter the violence that has become such an integral part of our society and threatens the safety of our children. The group began these programs in 2017 when Pax Christi Little Rock (PCLR) worked with school counselor Mildred Calhoun to develop a peace curriculum for Little Rock's Rockefeller Elementary. The following year it worked with Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS) and the Little Rock School District to expand these non-violence lesson plans and resources for elementary age students. In 2022, over 15,000 students participated from schools all over the state. The Lower Mississippi Delta Initiative Local Heritage Grant enabled the group to continue and expand this program, develop and distribute materials, and provide awards for the winners of its Youth Essay Contest and Youth Art Contests.

The Arkansas Peace Week Essay Contest, for 7th – 12 Grade Students, featured essays on the theme: "What does peace mean to you? What prevents us from living in peace and harmony? What can you do to address divisions in our communities?"

The Arkansas Peace Week Art Contest, for 1st -12th Grade Students, featured art pieces addressing the theme: "What does peace mean to you? Depict a more peaceful community in your art entry."

The group received over 1000 art entries and 300 essay entries from all over the state. All of the entrants showed great skill in writing their essays and creativity in their art; more importantly they contributed to the critical work of peacemaking.

Arkansas Peace Week was pleased to announce the winners of its Youth Essay Contest and Youth Art Contests at an Award Ceremony at the Arkansas State Capitol Rotunda on September 24, 2022. Essay winners from each age group were invited to read their essays at this event with over 300 people in attendance.