Fiddlehead Center for the Arts-Scarborough has recently partnered with the owners of neighboring business, Spillers Reprographics, to commission a community mural on the side of the building that faces out to Route 114 in Scarborough.

A gofundme page met its goal in just a few weeks, raising over $1,000, according to a Fiddlehead news release.

“I think people feel even more connected to the arts and want to bring more light to our community having been through the challenges of Covid 19, we see how resilient we are and want to celebrate that vibrancy,” said Fiddlehead Executive Director Oona Gilles-Weil. “Our students certainly feel that way, we have seen art as a healthy outlet to express all the big emotions and to process.”

Now the community has an opportunity to enjoy this art on a grand scale.

Fiddlehead began working with a local graffiti artist and muralist, Mike Rich, in the summer of 2021. Rich’s artwork can be seen all over the greater Portland area. Rich came to Fiddlehead to meet with students and find out what Fiddlehead means to them and to begin developing a concept for the mural design they completed Nov. 20.

The mural stands at 30 by 18 feet and will be seen from eastbound traffic on Route 114 as well as for all who visit Fiddlehead. It pictures a book opening to the sky featuring swirling colors and imaginative images connected to three main program elements: art, science and music. These elements represent the three core program areas at Fiddlehead, a nonprofit 501 (c) 3, located in Scarborough.

Fiddlehead Center for the Arts-Scarborough was established in the spring of 2007, as a comprehensive multi-community arts center, enriching the lives of local children afterschool, creating an environment where children can be directly involved in the performing, visual and creative arts and sciences. Fiddlehead has evolved to be at the forefront of the STEM and STEAM movement, according to the release.

“We are so happy to have the community’s support as well as from our business partners at Spillers Reprographics who donated their site. Oak Hill Ace Hardware, United Rentals and Hammond Lumber also donated materials and equipment. We could not have done this without them,” Gilles-Weil said.

Middle and high school students also helped complete the Fiddlehead mural with Rich on Nov. 20, which was accompanied by an open house/ribbon cutting ceremony that day to showcase the mural and all the hard work leading up to it.

“We hope this will be a source of pride in the community for years to come,” Gilles-Weil said.

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