Colorful band-aids in Nashville, USA

This spring AkzoNobel hosted a very special Let’s Colour initiative in downtown Nashville, the USA. To support the local community in their recovery from the tragedy caused by the Christmas day bombing, we have helped them reignite the community spirit by adding color to the neighborhood.

A splash of optimism

The inaugural Let’s Colour project in North America, aptly named Let’s Color Nashville, transformed downtown Nashville, the area most impacted by the Christmas day bombing in 2020. A van full of explosives went off on Second Avenue, causing a severe impact on historic buildings and businesses in this area.

As the community is recovering from this tragic event, the shattered windows of the buildings are covered with plywood boards to hide the scars until the reconstruction.

AkzoNobel hosted the Let’s Colour project in downtown Nashville. By partnering up with Nashville’s Civic Design Center, the Community Foundation of Middle of Tennessee (CFMT), Hoover Paint Stores and LKQ Corporation, together they have added color to the window coverings. And instead of just concealing the damage, the boards became canvasses for beautiful artworks.

Adding colorful band-aids

More than 100 volunteers, including the people of Nashville and employees from AkzoNobel, Hoover Paint Stores and LKQ Corporation, joined forces with the local artists to paint various scenes on the window coverings that will serve as colorful band-aids to make the community heal.

To support the healing process, AkzoNobel provided around 1,800 liters of coatings from its High Point, NC, manufacturing site, and Hoover Paint Stores supplied brushes, rollers and other materials used by the artists and volunteers in giving an uplifting new look to the neighborhood.

Artists and artwork were curated by Ashley Bergeron, owner of the Nashville galleries The Studio 208 and Swipe Right Art. “Artists bring inspiration and creativity that uplifts communities and it is such a gift to have these sad boarded up windows transformed into colorful artwork!”, said Bergeron, expressing her excitement for the project.

“Let’s Color Nashville is a critical project for our downtown businesses to heal and unite following the tragic event on Christmas Day,” said Gary Gaston, CEO of the Civic Design Center. “We are excited to join with AkzoNobel in returning the positive inspiration that ignites the downtown community spirit.”, he added.

Healing through the power of paint

Through this initiative, we have transformed the look of downtown Nashville, while showing how the community can heal through the power of paint. By working together and adding color to their neighborhood, the people regained their sense of optimism and unity.

And once the time comes for the bandages to come off, these beautiful murals will be collected and donated to the schools of Metro Nashville Davidson County.