Where Does the Love Come From???

“You prolly had a government grant to do all this work, right?”

We heard this question a few times as our artists took over the streets last weekend. It’s an honest assumption, but the answer always took the neighbors by surprise.

“Nope. Everything you see here is donated by people who love our city.”

Really? How is it possible to get over 50 gallons of paint donated? How is it possible to have 4 artists, over 40 volunteers, and an entire neighborhood join together in this kind of festival?

The answer once again may come as a surprise…LOVE. Where some people may see broken and abandoned buildings, others see a blank canvas. Where some people may see hopeless street corners, others see beauty waiting to be written. In case you haven’t noticed there are thousands of people out there that love this city, and they don’t mind showing it. Whether it’s donating a can of paint, giving away a special talent, flipping some burgers, or just giving some weekend time, St. Louis is rocking with some great volunteers.

And with this undercurrent of love spilling out onto our streets it has become apparent that government grants aren’t the only tools for change in the city. Maybe the least mentioned and overlooked resources are the people themselves.