Welcome to Our Mural Project!
Join us in creating a vibrant mural at YWCA Evanston/North Shore with Project Color Corps — inspired by your voices, your colors, and your community.
We’re thrilled to collaborate with Project Color Corps (PCC) to bring a colorful new mural to our YWCA Evanston/North Shore campus. This project is all about community, from the colors you told us inspire you, to the hands that will help bring the mural to life on painting day.
This mural will be more than art. It will be a lasting symbol of belonging, strength, and joy — celebrating our mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and build a more vibrant, inclusive community for everyone.
Scroll down to check out the designs and discover more about the project!
Save the date!
COMMUNITY MURAL PAINTING DAY:
Saturday, October 4, 10 am-2 pm CST*
*Please note that painting day will be rescheduled to Wednesday, Oct. 8 if it rains on Saturday, Oct. 4.
The Votes Are In: Buoyant Strong Wins!
Thank you to everyone who participated in Voting Week (Sept. 8-13) for our YWCA mural project with Project Color Corps. Over 200 of you cast your votes, and the community has spoken: Buoyant Strong was the favorite, winning with 67% of the vote! We’re so grateful for the time and enthusiasm you shared in helping us choose this design. Now, we can’t wait to see it come to life on our building in the weeks ahead.
Mark your calendars.
Painting Day: Saturday, Oct. 4, 10 AM – 2 PM
Join us to bring the mural to life! Volunteer opportunities include:
Volunteering to help with family-friendly activities like pumpkin painting, a mini-mural, and more
Donating items for our Domestic Violence program (list of items needed coming soon!)
Or simply joining us to enjoy the day and watch the mural come to life!
Together, we’re creating a vibrant, lasting work of art that celebrates belonging, strength, and joy in our community.
Sign Up to Volunteer!
Interested in volunteering? More information to come soon on where to sign-up.
How it started…
Earlier this year, we asked you, our community, to share what color and YWCA mean to you. Through surveys completed by community members, program participants, and staff, and a community color seminar, your voices guided the PCC design team as they created one unique design concept with two color stories.
We’re excited to have you decide which design becomes our mural — and then join us to paint it together this October!
From Inspiration to Creation:
Meet the Design Team
Andrea Benatar is an experiential designer at IA Interior Architects’ Chicago studio, leading the design for the YWCA E/NS mural. Born and raised in Chicago, Andrea comes from an industrial design background but loves any chance to break out the sketchbook and flex her artistic muscles.
She is joined in this effort by a team of creatives, who are thrilled to collaborate on a community mural that celebrates the spirit and identity of Evanston. The group, consisting of Shane Smith, Anahita Dasgupta, Graham Jefferson, and Elin Zhou represents a wide spectrum of disciplines and training, from traditional fine art and graphic design to interior and exhibition design.
With diverse perspectives and a shared commitment to thoughtful, community-centered design, the team is dedicated to creating a mural that is both meaningful and memorable for the neighborhood.
Hear from designer Andrea Benatar as she shares the inspiration behind the mural design and reflects on the joy and creativity the design collective experienced while bringing this community-centered project to life.
Design Process and Inspiration
This mural is more than a piece of art — it’s a reflection of the voices, stories, and dreams of our YWCA community. Inspired by your input and guided by Project Color Corps’ thoughtful design process, the mural embodies the values and energy that make YWCA Evanston/North Shore a place of belonging and empowerment.
YWCA: A Sum of Its Parts
Inspired by the idea of puzzle pieces, the mural celebrates the collective power of the YWCA community and honors the strength, diversity, and unity that emerge when individual voices come together. A visual reminder that each person is a powerful part of a greater whole.
Themes
Freedom & hope
Empowerment
Collective Power
Diversity
Past / present / future
Qualities
Safe
Excited
Connected
Motivated
Strong
Questions about our mural project can be directed to Erin Venable, VP Marketing and Communications, at evenable@ywca.org.