New partnership yields mural at Boys & Girls Club

Metro Wire  Staff

Boys & Girls Club of Portage County partnered with CREATE Portage County’s “Paint the County” campaign to add color and inspiration to an interior wall of the Berard Center.

Stevens Point-based Kiba Freeman Art was chosen to complete the mural due to Stephon Kiba Freeman’s “connection to the community and past volunteerism at the Boys & Girls Club,” a news release from the Club said.

The campaign provides artists “access to new revenue streams, makes space for underrepresented voices to be more visible in our community, draws people to new, important, or under-activated spaces, and spread our creative identity to all parts of Portage County,” the release said.

“I wanted to get a sense of what the Club members and staff found important and the energy that accompanied it,” Freemon said of his work. “The mural is for and about them, so this was necessary for my creative process. This design is basically a collaboration and I’m excited for everyone to experience it.”

Mikayla Kleifgen, director of resource development and marketing for the BGC of Portage Co., said the entity was “ecstatic” about the addition.

“It captures who we are and the important activities that happen within our Club each day,” she said.

To see the mural contact Kleifgen’s office at [email protected] or 715-341-4386. the mural can also be viewed by the public during Saturday morning farmer’s markets, held from 8 a.m. to noon.

The Berard Center is located at 941 Michigan Ave.