CHICOPEE – Three murals will be going up on the city in the coming months.

A mural honoring Bernard “Bunny” Murray will be painted in Aldenville, while the Chicopee Cultural Council is moving forward with the creation of two murals that are influenced by the Black Lives Matter movement.

Artist Johnny Miranda Alomar is working with resident Paul Parks in the creation of the mural featuring Murray. The mural is coming about through private donations and volunteers.

It will be painted on a wall of a gasoline station opposite the Aldenville Commons, a location meaningful to Murray, Alomar told Reminder Publications.

He explained the wall will be washed and prepped prior to a primer coat of paint to create a good surface for the mural. Then the backgrounds will be painted with Murray’s image coming last.

Murray’s portrait will be based on the painting Alomar has already done of him.

He believes the mural will be completed by the end of this month and will have an official unveiling in mid-August.

He and Parks are continuing to ask for both volunteers and contributions for the effort. The best way to reach Alomar or Parks is through social media such as both men’s Facebook pages.

Alomar, who is also part of the Chicopee Cultural Council, said he believes this is “the right moment” for the three murals.

“There is a lot of negativity going on ... We need to change that energy into something positive,” he added.

The Chicopee Cultural Council is now looking for artists and concepts for two murals. From a recently issued statement: “We call for local artists, especially Black, Indigenous, and other artists of color to submit their designs for these two murals to ChicopeeCulturalCouncil@yahoo.com. Understanding the sensitive nature of these pieces, we will be following up with a brief digital interview for all submitting artists.”

The Council has a deadline of July 19.

Their statement continued, “The Chicopee Cultural Council affirms without reservation that Black Lives Matter. Our Council acknowledges the profound moment we are currently experiencing in this nation. We are being called upon to acknowledge and dismantle the racism, violence, and inequities that exist not only within our society but in our art & cultural sectors as well.

“The Chicopee Cultural Council is committed to confronting systemic racism. Taking our lead from Black, Indigenous, and brown artists, organizations, and communities, and respecting the principle of self-determination, we are committed to decolonization and reconciliation.  

We are committed to improving access to our programs and building principles of equity and diversity throughout our organization at every level to better support meaningful and genuine forms of engagement, through collaboration and co-creation with underserved communities of color.

“The Arts have a significant history of shaping the world. Often rebelling against the status quo, celebrating our diversity of expressions, as well as reaching across divides to mend hearts and move minds forward.

“Today, the Chicopee Cultural Council acknowledges that we must improve how we listen to and serve equity-seeking communities and continue our work to create funding strategies to better serve historically underfunded groups. The Council commits to making our processes and programs more accessible and responsive to the diversity of our city.

“We will listen, reflect, and most importantly learn from those who are leading the way in our sector and work in tandem to make the necessary changes.

“With the full backing of the city of Chicopee, and in honor of this commitment, we will install two murals influenced by the Black Lives Matter movement. One in memoriam of the countless lives lost due to police violence, the other in celebration of the sweeping solidarity this movement has produced…As we report on our continued efforts to uphold these commitments, we welcome feedback on what we’ve achieved and what we can do better. Through collaboration and creation, we WILL do better.”