Earth Day Art Festival set Thursday

The West Chester Green Team will stage a project planned with Professor Megan Schraedley’s West Chester University students.

The Earth Day Art Festival will be available for viewing following CDC guidelines from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 22 in downtown West Chester.

“Earth Day is such an important day of the year and we welcome students getting involved to inspire generations to come. We want these pieces of art to represent our mission to reverse current threats to our environment,” said Nathaniel

Smith, co-founder of WCGT.

Schraedley’s initial goal for this Earth Day event was for her students to create unique art pieces to immerse viewers by posting on social media. Upon further discussions with Green Team co-founder Margaret Hudgings, it was decided that they would display their artwork in person on the Chester County Historical Center’s patio on 225 N. High St.

The creations include sculptures, paintings, collages and digital art. The challenge is to incorporate repurposed or recycled materials, so that the art pieces would not damage the environment. This means no plastics bought for the project and no balloons that eventually go up into the environment and potential harm wildlife. The display will include a costume made by three WCU professors from post-consumer waste for Carnival of Ruin, a sustainability play about pollution.

The “art stroll” features chalk work, including by students, West Chester public figures, organizations like the West Chester Co-op and Chester County Peace Movement, and many others, on 20 sidewalk locations along High St. from the Unitarian Congregation of West Chester at 501 S. High St. to the West Chester

Friends Meeting House in the 500 block of N. High St.

“Working on this project has shown me different ways to think creatively and sustainably in hopes of producing something meaningful and lasting in the memories of West Chester residents,” said graduating WCU senior Justine Gesualdi.

At the official opening ceremony at 11 a.m., at Phillips Memorial at the corner of College Avenue. 700 S. High St., after a welcome by Director of the WCU Office of Sustainability Brad Flamm, Mayor Jordan Norley will unveil the 2021 West Chester Green Team yard

sign and present keys to the Borough to the Green Team represented by Schraedley and WCU alumna Courtney Finneran.

WCGT wants this event to be safe for everyone and all events are outside. Please keep 6-foot distancing between parties, wear a mask, and exercise care if walking across High Street. All ages welcome and encouraged.

The West Chester Green

Team, founded in 2019,is an alliance of four local environmental organizations. Their focus is on limiting plastics and harmful chemicals while promoting renewable energy and organic gardening. With the help of the community, the Green Team hopes to continue to encourage residents to be green and to take action on issues like climate change.

For more about this event, please see https:// wcgreenteam.com/ and live excerpts on the WCGT Facebook and Instagram pages.