Events & Programs

Press Release – August 12, 2026

Dansville NY: Dansville ArtWorks Mural Committee and Board hosted the dedication of the completed Granūla Mural on Saturday, August 8 at Dansville Public Library in a ceremony that also included Dansville Area Historical Society’s unveiling of their newest historical marker recognizing Granūla’s importance. Speakers included Julee Acomb (Mural Committee Chair), Josi Opolentisima (muralist), Karen Canning (Genesee Valley Council on the Arts interim executive director), Samantha Davis (Dansville ArtWorks president), and Quinn Golden and David Gilbert (Dansville Area Historical Society president and historian respectively).

The mural project was made possible with funds from the Aid to Localities Program by the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts and the New York State Senate. Private donors recognized at the event included David W. Smith in loving memory of Ruth Bornt-Smith, Dansville Women’s Civic Club by Julia Miller, Teresa A. Dearing, Sherry and Gary Kramer, Barbara J. Kreiley, Sherrie Reilly, Dr. and Mrs. James E. Stafford, the Tracy family in memory of Richard “Dick” Tracy, and Sheila VanAuken in memory of Gary VanAuken. Additionally, David Smith purchased bags of granola for guests attending the event.

Samantha Davis spoke to ArtWorks mission: “Community art is never just about the final image on the wall. It’s about the relationships built along the way, and the message that we’re better together when we make space for creativity. At Dansville ArtWorks, we believe art matters because it connects people. It sparks conversation. It brightens everyday life. And it gives us something lasting to share. So today, as you look at the Granūla Mural, I hope you take a moment to really notice the energy and the story it tells. Let it remind us that Dansville is a place where imagination belongs – here – and where local artists can shape the future of our community, one mural at a time.”

Speaking for their respective organizations and projects, both Julee Acomb and Quinn Golden impressed upon the audience that there is more to come.

Videos of the dedication ceremony as well as the Granūla Mural artist talk can be found on Dansville ArtWorks’ YouTube page.

Dansville ArtWorks Inc.'s Mural Committee served as project manager for the installation of the Clara Barton Mural on the south facing wall of 170 Main Street (Ossian Street side). Barton founded the American Red Cross in Dansville. Its Chapter No. 1 House is just steps away from this building at the intersection of Ossian and Elizabeth Streets.

​A LivCo First Impressions Village Edition grant authored by Dansville ArtWorks and awarded to the Village of Dansville drove this public art project. Additional support came from Jane Schryver, a Community Arts Grant from the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts, and Dansville ArtWorks' funds.  Building owners Dr. Joe DePra and his son Joshua DePra fully committed to their responsibilities and were excellent partners in the project.

This summer project began June 24, 2024, was completed July 12, 2024, and dedicated August 10 of the same year. 

Our lead muralist was Melissa Stratton-Pandina. She resides and makes her studio in Westborough, Massachusetts but has family in Dansville! Learn about her work at deshria.com or @deshriastudio on Instagram. Her assistant was Gabriela Sepulveda of Springfield, Massachusetts. Follow Gabby on Facebook or Instagram @theivorybunny.

Please tag us in your mural photos #dansvillemurals. 

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This project was made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of The Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by the Genesee Valley Council on the Arts.