(PRINCETON, NJ) -- The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) and Princeton Shopping Center invite the community to a Mural Dedication Concert on Thursday, July 29 at 6:00pm in celebration of the recently completed artwork in the Princeton Shopping Center courtyard. Leadership from the Arts Council of Princeton and Princeton Shopping Center owner, EDENS, are expected to speak, in addition to Princeton Mayor Mark Freda.

The outdoor mural celebration kicks off with We May Be Right, a Billy Joel Tribute Band, along with family-friendly activities in the shopping center courtyard hosted by Princeton Public Library. For more information, visit princetonshoppingcenter.com. 

The first in the series of three murals to be designed by a team of ACP artists came to life this June with a theme of “Bring on the Joy”, a message of positivity and hope after the challenging times we faced as a community. 

The Bring on the Joy mural was completed by a local team of all-female painters, Maria Evans, Melissa Kuscin, Lisa Walsh, and Fiona Chinkan.

Evans, ACP Artistic Director, has been making art and assisting art making at the Arts Council for over two decades. Maria has grown the ACP public art program through artist residencies, murals, the Princeton Parklet, and other special projects, and strongly believes in expanding the “gallery” out into the landscape for our community to enjoy. 

Kuscin is a Princeton-based artist and Program/Marketing Manager of the Arts Council of Princeton. Melissa is driven by art’s power to transform public spaces and bring communities together. She often works with local businesses to add artwork, signage, and chalk design to their spaces. View more of Melissa’s work on Instagram  @melissakuscin.

Walsh has been painting on walls since she painted her own bedroom when she was 13. She has been running her own mural business for 25 years. She also works at McCarter Theatre Center and Princeton University's Lewis Center for the Arts as a scenic painter. She teaches classes at the Arts Council in Princeton for children and adults. View more of Lisa’s work on Instagram  @atmospheric_designs.

Chinkan is a New Jersey-based artist who grew up in Princeton. Fiona began her signature style of drawings in 2001 as a way to accompany graffiti lettering she was exploring at the time. Over the years, she has developed the lines and forms as a means to express herself and interpret the world around her. View her daily drawings on Instagram  @fionac.nyc.

The Arts Council of Princeton, a non-profit organization founded in 1967, fulfills its mission of building community through the arts by presenting a wide range of programs including public art projects, exhibitions, performances, free community cultural events, and studio-based classes and workshops. Arts Council of Princeton programs are designed to be high-quality, engaging, affordable and accessible for the diverse population in the greater Princeton region.   For more than 60 years, Princeton Shopping Center has been a true community gathering place. Its unique design boasts 40 local and national retailers, and a two-acre landscaped courtyard that is warmly referred to by community members as “the living room of Princeton.” Anchored by local and family owned McCaffrey’s Market, the center not only serves as a staple for goods but is jointly used as a neighborhood events space. Partnering with local organizations, the center remains a vibrant meeting place for residents and visitors throughout the year.