2025 Golden Paintbrush Awards

PowerArt! brings color and creativity to downtown Ann Arbor by transforming everyday traffic signal boxes into vibrant works of public art. Instead of plain metal boxes, pedestrians now see original artwork by local artists wrapped around these small but highly visible pieces of infrastructure. In the most recent 2024–2025 installation round, Creative Washtenaw added 11 new designs and refreshed many existing wraps, bringing the total to 40 PowerArt! boxes across the city. From floral and nature-inspired pieces to bold graphic designs, each box adds personality and visual interest to the streetscape. What was once overlooked infrastructure is now a source of neighborhood pride, artistic expression, and everyday joy for residents and visitors alike.

The A2AC Murals and Planters project has helped turn walls and sidewalks across Ann Arbor into bright, welcoming spaces filled with local art. Led by the Ann Arbor Art Center through its Art in Public initiative, the program has supported large-scale murals and hand-painted planters throughout downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. These works showcase a wide range of artistic styles and voices while bringing color, creativity, and energy to everyday places where people live, shop, and gather. By partnering with local businesses, property owners, and community members, A2AC Murals and Planters strengthens Ann Arbor’s identity as a city that values public art and makes creativity visible and accessible to all.

Murals That Bridge transforms railroad underpasses, some of the primary corridors where people enter Ann Arbor, into vibrant gateway landmarks. These large-scale murals act as welcoming visual markers, turning once plain concrete walls into colorful expressions of community identity. By focusing on key entry points into the city, the program reshapes first impressions and makes these transitional spaces feel more inviting, creative, and distinctly Ann Arbor. Murals That Bridge shows how public art can elevate everyday infrastructure and turn major corridors into memorable places that reflect the spirit of the city.

Dragons Everywhere All at Once was a free, family-friendly event held at the University of Michigan Museum of Art that invited the community to explore the magic and meaning of dragons in East Asian art. Sponsored by the Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies, the afternoon blended live dance, percussion, calligraphy demonstrations, hands-on workshops, and interactive art-making activities. Visitors of all ages were welcomed into the museum to experience performance, storytelling, and creative expression in an engaging and accessible way. By combining visual art, movement, and cultural learning in a public setting, Dragons Everywhere All at Once created a joyful shared experience that brought art, education, and community together under one roof.

Corridor of Colors brings light, color, and creativity to one of the busiest walkways on Michigan Medicine’s main campus. Introduced by the Gifts of Art program, the installation transforms the level 2 connector corridor between University Hospital and the Towsley Center into a vibrant passage filled with shifting patterns of natural light. Designed by University of Michigan alum Michelle Inez Hinojosa, the colorful panels filter sunlight throughout the day, creating an ever-changing experience for patients, staff, and visitors. What was once a stained and overlooked ceiling is now a welcoming, uplifting space that adds warmth, comfort, and a sense of calm to the hospital environment.