CNY Arts Center Puts a Face to Fulton’s Future

CNY Arts Center hangs giant pictures of “Fulton’s Future” signs in the hands of young ones on City Hall.

CNY Arts Center hangs giant pictures of “Fulton’s Future” signs in the hands of young ones on City Hall.

A community mural at CNY Arts Center allows community members to write their dreams and ideas for the city’s future.

Responses to the mural were varied responses tailored to each individual’s opinion and care.

Responses to the mural were varied responses tailored to each individual’s opinion and care.

FULTON, NY – The big, shining faces of dozens of Fulton youngsters can be seen plastered on the walls of City Hall, “Fulton’s Future” labeled proudly on a sign held by each.

The Fulton’s Future Mural is part of the larger campaign “Fulton’s Future Project” with the mission to build Fulton’s future through the arts, said CNY Arts Center Director Nancy Fox.

The mural was a spin-off of the “Inside Out Project” a global campaign helping people turn their message into art.

“Our message is that we believe that Fulton’s future is found in our children and it’s very bright and we should never forget that,” Fox said.

30 kids involved in various CNY Arts Center activities posed for individual pictures for the mural and posted them to the side of Fulton’s City Hall building, a location they felt was appropriate for the message, Fox said.

While this project launched the Fulton’s Future campaign, other projects are underway to send the same message largely in part to the Shineman Foundation supplying a marketing campaign grant for the Arts Center.

A community vision mural was posted at Fulton’s Memorial Day Salute allowing community members the chance to write their ideas and dreams for Fulton’s future.

One mural is in place at the CNY Arts Center location at 11 River Glen Drive while the other is housed at the Fulton War Memorial.

Dreams written across the murals range from “love and acceptance” to “a positive identity” and “to live happy and healthy” while ideas for the city include “a better developed river front,” a “community garden,” and “to take care of our environment,” among many others.

A professional video funded by Gifford Foundation will capture much of the Fulton’s Future project and will allow the CNY Arts Center to better share their message.

“We’re excited about these projects and we want it to be the start of something so we’re going to continue to work it, finding ways to bring art to the city. If you drive by and look at the mural, you can’t help but notice those kids’ faces and any art that we do in this city is going to remind people, that art is an important part of our lives. We think it will help beautify our city,” Fox said.

The campaign comes at a time when so many other good things are happening for the city of Fulton, Fox added, noting the Friends of Fulton Parks and Fulton Block Builders as just a few other city beautification groups.

CNY Arts Center is an all volunteer organization working hard to provide quality art education to kids in Fulton and surrounding areas.

The downtown CNY Arts Center location at 47 South First Street is known as “the face of CNY Arts Center,” featuring several art pieces and a new artist every month to keep displays fresh for people visiting and also serves as a tourism information site for the city.

While the downtown CNY Arts Center location hosts comedy nights with plans to begin an open mic night, The Oasis at 21 Wilcox Road will host a Comedy Night event fundraiser with special guest Lucas Bohn on October 7 to raise funds for the Fulton’s Future Project.

Some of those young people preparing to take hold of Fulton’s future can currently be found at CNY Arts Center’s annual Arty Camp with two weeks left still open for registration including one week with Don Gillespie, a Fulton native and currently a NASA Aerospace artist teaching the kids his painting technique.

For those that are not able to register for the camp, a free lunch and craft time for all kids in Oswego County is held daily from 12-2 p.m.

For more information on the Fulton’s Future Project and CNY Arts Center including Arty Camp information and show times for the currently running musical “Bye, Bye Birdie,” visit www.CNYArtsCenter.com.

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