Dixon Arts Coalition announces 2026 mural opportunity 

As part of RejuveNate – Plants and Wellness, Ashley wants to host classes and talks on mental health.  Ashley said people are often hesitant to discuss mental health. She wants that to change.

“It affects more people than you think,” she said.

Nor does Ashley want to limit the education and conversation to just adults.

“I want to take it to schools and put on little presentations and just have kid friendly mental health talks,” Ashley said. “I think if we started educating kids on mental health topics and talking about our feelings, how to express ourselves in positive way, I think that can, possibly, eliminate a lot of adult disorders that go untalked about, even undiagnosed.”

Above, Ashley Searing mixes paint on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020, at her home in Joliet, Ill.

DIXON — The Dixon Arts Coalition is bringing a new mural opportunity to artists to showcase their work and assist in providing a vibrant arts and culture scene in Dixon.

The location is the Water Department building on East River Street.

The submission deadline is Aug. 31, 2025. Selections will be made and artists will be notified by Oct. 31. The artist will be given time to work on the mural from June 1, 2026, to Aug. 31, 2026, with the proposed mural reveal date on Sept. 7.

Fifty percent of the budget will be provided within 15 days of contract signature. The remaining 50% will be provided upon completion of the process.

The Arts Coalition is facilitated by Discover Dixon, and is made up of members who represent different art organizations in our community. It meets every 2 months, aiming to generate projects and promote efforts to enhance the arts and culture community in Dixon, utilizing the arts and culture funds in the city budget.

Find “Arts Coalition” under the “Living” tab at the Discover Dixon website for more details.

For more information, call 815-284-3361 or go to discoverdixon.com.

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