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Creating the World's Largest Indoor Mural in Winsted, Connecticut

The American Mural Project aims to create the world's largest indoor art education collaboration.

This week, the State Bond Commission approved a $1 million grant to support the development of an old mill building in Winsted to house the American Mural Project.

Ellen Griesedieck, the project’s artist and founder, said that when the space is renovated, it will be as large as the Parthenon.

“And the reason it has to be this grand is because the mural itself is 120 feet long and five stories high. There is nothing like it anywhere that I know of, certainly in this country,” said Griesedieck.

The American Mural Project aims to create the world’s largest indoor art education collaboration. It's a celebration of America's ingenuity and productivity and a tribute to its workers.

In a study of the mural, you can see construction workers, an image of a surgeon in an operating room, a woman milking a cow, and more.

Griesedieck started the project 15 years ago, working with students in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York. She's since worked with more than 10,000 kids in communities across the U.S. to create pieces of the mural.  

Credit American Mural Project
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American Mural Project
Credit American Mural Project
Students from West Virginia who learned how to create blown glass.

Kids from West Virginia created blown glass. 

"They’re known for blown glass. So we go into Blenko Glass and everybody blows glass. And we’ve got 26 feet of blown glass that’s part of the Mural Project representing West Virginia," said Griesedieck.

She expects the mural to be installed in the building one year after the renovation work is completed.

Down the road, there are plans for a second building to offer visitors opportunities to create their own art.

Diane Orson is a special correspondent with Connecticut Public. She is a reporter and contributor to National Public Radio. Her stories have been heard on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Here and Now; and The World from PRX. She spent seven years as CT Public Radio's local host for Morning Edition.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.