Ithaca Welcomes Refugees Mural

This month's CAP grantee spotlight is Hugo Medina and the Ithaca Welcomes Refugees mural project. Ithaca Welcomes Refugees (IWR) is an organization that partners with newly arrived refugees and immigrants as they rebuild their lives in Tompkins County. It is based in Ithaca, and has a small staff, and an established network of volunteers. IWR operates three core programs; Welcome Home, helping newcomers secure housing and set up living arrangements; Response Projects, providing needs-based resettlement assistance; and Global Roots Play School, offering play-based, trauma-informed care for preschool aged children and a community for their families.

They were awarded our GAP Grant (Grants for Arts Programs) to create a mural that engaged the community, their organization, and spoke to the experience of IWR. GAP exists to give arts programs and organizations the chance to broaden their reach, cover operating costs, and participate in opportunities and events they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford. It is through grants like this that CAP helps keep Ithaca’s art scene vital. The project was also partly funded by a grant from the Tompkins County Tourism Progra

The lead artist for this project is Hugo Medina, a professional muralist with extensive experience creating public art that engages and reflects community narratives. He worked closely with IWR staff, including Development Director Leila Wilmers, volunteers, supporters, refugee partners, Ithaca Murals and the broader community to design and facilitate the mural's painting. 

Through a series of events in 2025, Hugo collected input from local residents with lived experience of displacement. The painting kicked off with a lively community paint day earlier this month. IWR welcomed a steady flow of around 30 participants of all ages, including IWR program volunteers, staff, board members, supporters, friends, and passersby. The mural is in its final stages of completion and there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony! 

The ceremony is open to the public and will take place on June 3rd at 1pm at 314 W State St. Guests will have the chance to be photographed with the mural, learn more about the story of the artwork and IWR, and speak to the lead artist and IWR staff and board members.

Photo by: Sara Tro saratrophoto.com

The GAP Grant is part of New York State Council on the Arts ((NYSCA) "Statewide Community Regrant" (SCR) program, administered in Tompkins County by the Community Arts Partnership. SCR is made possible by NYSCA with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. For more information on NYSCA, please visit arts.ny.gov,and follow NYSCA's Facebook page and Instagram @NYScouncilonthearts.