Opening Reception: August 15, 4-7 pm

This exhibition tells the story of how our community participated in a nationwide campaign aimed at demonstrating how the arts can lead to healthier people and communities. It all began with a local youth skate park advocacy effort in partnership with ArtStart that grew into a national conversation around cultural engagement and mental wellbeing. One Nation/One Project (ONOP) is the organization that backed this effort, designed to activate the power of the arts to heal our communities. ONOP launched a national advocacy effort around the impact of the arts on our heath called “Arts for Every Body.” As a participant, Rhinelander hosted a community-wide Push Against Loneliness event on July 27, 2024, in solidarity with the other 17 sites that participated, which culminated in the unveiling of a public art installation piece.

Our community has spent the past two years collaborating with social service organizations, artists, and residents to create spaces that explore the intersection of arts, skateboarding, and mental health. This exhibition will feature artwork from Rhinelander’s process and highlight lead artists Norma Dycus Pennycuff and Witt Siasoco. It highlights how their own artistic practices informed a creative framework for civic engagement, skate park advocacy, and awareness around social isolation. This exhibit tells the story of this meaningful project and shares the artwork created along the way.