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. Produced by Creative Washtenaw in partnership with the City of Ann Arbor, the program replaces plain metal boxes with original artwork by local artists wrapped around these small but highly visible pieces of infrastructure. In the most recent 2024–2025 installation round, 11 new designs were added and many existing wraps were refreshed, 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. The 2025 planter installations recognized through the Golden Paintbrush Award were created by local artists Bill Burgard and Rick Malt.

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. The initiative builds on mural work led by local artists through TreeTown Murals, whose projects have helped connect neighborhoods and business districts across the city. By focusing on key entry points into Ann Arbor, Murals That Bridge reshapes first impressions and makes these transitional spaces feel more inviting, creative, and distinctly Ann Arbor. The program demonstrates how public art can elevate everyday infrastructure and turn major corridors into memorable places that reflect the spirit of the community.

Dragons Everywhere All at Once was a free, family-friendly cultural arts 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 artistic traditions. Organized by the Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Michigan, 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. The Corridor of Colors, Michigan Medicine’s permanent art installation created through the Gifts of Art program, 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.