Fresh Coat

Located in Portland, Oregon, Dignity Village is the country's first city-sanctioned homeless encampment. Now much more than the tent village that it started as, Dignity Village is a place for homeless individuals to find stable housing and resources while looking for work and permanent housing.

In an effort to strengthen the relationship between Dignity Village and local artists, to protect houses from the weather and to brighten people's days, the mural project links artists with residents to paint murals in the village.

You can see photos of some of the murals painted below. The artist-organized phase of the Dignity Village Mural Project was completed in 2010. Creative residents of the village have continued the mural project, painting their own murals and soliciting some from the community at large. If you would like to paint a mural at Dignity Village, give the village a call and talk to their volunteer coordinator: 503-281-1604

PRESS:

Neighborhood Notes

The Mercury- 11/10/09

SPECIAL THANKS
to our donors:

Miller Paint
Metro
Yolo Colorhouse
New Seasons
Grand Central Baking
Diesel Fuel Prints
Tim Combs

Wish List:

Exterior house paint and spray paint
Paint brushes- all sizes, all types
Rollers and paint trays
A small paint shed and someone to build it

Dignity Village Wish List (for building a new house):

2 x 6s, 2 x 4s
16 penny nails
plywood
insulation

What to Expect While Painting at Dignity Village:

You must check in and out at the main building.
Some DV residents don't care what kind of mural goes up on their house. Others want something specific. If that is the case, please work with them to create something that they want, understanding that you will infuse your own style. Some village members will also want to help with the murals themselves, even if just to fill, and we encourage that as much as possible.
Dignity Village has ladders, running water, bathrooms and helpful folks to get you what you need.
Because painting outdoors is weather dependent, it may take a while for you to finish your mural. At the same time, we insist that you finish what you start and let the resident know if it will be more than a couple of weeks between painting sessions.
We have paint donations, but artists will have to provide their own brushes, rollers and any other supplies they may need.