Doraville Art Center Selected as a 2026 AARP Community Challenge Grantee
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
$10,000 grant will fund community-painted murals at three Doraville parks, designed with input from older adults and residents of all ages
DORAVILLE, GA — June 24, 2026 — Doraville Art (DART) is thrilled to announce that it has been selected to receive a 2026 AARP Community Challenge grant. This year, only 750 grantees were chosen from 5,100 applications submitted across all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
With this quick-action grant, DART will create and install three community-painted murals at Brook Park, English Oak Park, and Honeysuckle Park, with programming and outreach designed to increase social engagement for residents age 50 and older. The murals, adapted from three pieces of youth artwork from DART’s Visions Unbound: Art Through Young Eyes exhibit, will be brought to larger scale by three muralists through multi generational public painting events. This project will advance DART’s efforts to make Doraville a place where people of all ages can thrive.
“We are incredibly proud that AARP selected Doraville Art for this investment to help make Doraville more livable for residents of all ages,” said Mary French, Executive Director of DART. “AARP is a national leader in supporting communities to become more livable, and we are honored they recognize the value and impact this project will bring to our area.”
About the AARP Community Challenge
The AARP Community Challenge grant program supports projects that improve public places, housing, transportation, digital connectivity, disaster resilience, and more. In 2026, Toyota Motor North America is funding pedestrian safety projects that aim to enhance streets and sidewalks nationwide. Microsoft is supporting digital connections projects aimed at expanding access to and adoption of high-speed internet (broadband).
These grants are part of AARP’s broader Livable Communities initiative, which helps neighborhoods, towns, cities, and counties across the country become great places for people of all ages. AARP believes communities should offer:
Safe, walkable streets
Affordable and accessible housing and transportation options
Access to essential services
Opportunities for residents to engage and participate fully in community life
To explore all 750 projects funded this year, or to view an interactive map of current and past Community Challenge projects, visit AARP.org/CommunityChallenge. Learn more about AARP’s nationwide Livable Communities work at AARP.org/Livable.
About the DART Park Murals Project
The grant will fund the creation and installation of three large-scale, community-painted murals — each measuring 4 feet by 8 feet — at Brook Park (3193 Raymond Drive), English Oak Park (4074 English Oak Drive), and Honeysuckle Park (3037 Pleasant Valley Drive). DART will partner with City of Doraville Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs department, neighborhood associations, senior groups, schools, libraries, local non-profits and faith-based organizations to ensure broad community participation, with approximately 200 residents engaged through painting events and public viewing days between August and December 2026.
The Youth art selections below will be transformed into large scale murals by artists Natalie Marie Uribe, SJ May and Gabriel Uribe and completed through multi generational public painting events.
About Doraville Art Center
Doraville Art (DART) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Doraville, Georgia, dedicated to celebrating and amplifying the diverse voices of the greater Doraville community through arts programming, exhibitions, public art and cultural events. DART serves a vibrant, multicultural community in the Atlanta metro area and is committed to making the arts accessible for residents of all ages and backgrounds.
For more information, visit doravilleartcenter.org or contact Mary French at mary@doravilleartcenter.org.
Comments