To produce a mural for an organization tasked with responding to the evergreen challenges of poverty and inequality, serving as a call to arms for humanity to work together and support one another as neighbors.

Serving thirteen designated communities with impact reaching far beyond the immediate region, United Way of Metro Chicago deserved a mural that highlighted just a few of its luminary acts.  The mural was an opportunity bring the outside in, moving away from a detached, corporate office environment while creating a new space that fostered community and reflected the communities being served. 

We wanted to give stakeholders a better understanding of the diversity of the region through vibrant and colorful representation, making individuals feel welcome and energized by the work and transformation taking place within their communities.  We worked closely with the Director of Marketing and the Director of Human Resources to identify key neighborhoods and landmarks before landing on a final design and visual treatment.  Local artist Stephen Flemister was commissioned for the piece, bringing a deep-rooted sense of community and creative vision to the project.

The mural presents a detailed portrait of familiar faces, actions and landmarks from neighbors and neighborhoods served by the organization.  Brought to life through digitally-enhanced painting and illustration, the mural illustrates progress against a background that binds each of the graphic elements together with energy and movement.  Designed as an energetic, welcoming visual statement piece, the mural welcomes individuals and communities from across Chicago into the United Way offices, increasing the collective investment in and commitment to the organization’s mission.

We made use of the United Way brand colors (blue, red and gold) and logo to create a bright, energetic color palette and branded motif.  A mixed media application of reprinted drawings, painting, collage and archival photography allowed for greater details during the design process, with the final work rendered at full-scale with minor graphic enhancements.  From the first step off the elevator door, the mural radiates with bold, vivid colors, luring in visitors while making them feel at home as they see their own story reflected in the space.

Communities work as the “heroes” of the mural, brought to life through full-scale portraits that draw viewers closer to a story that reflects their own community experience.  Working together, these portraits represent the multitude of United Way neighbors, neighborhoods, occupations, ethnicities and culture served, reminding viewers that while each neighborhood has a distinct character, we are all connected.  

The mural became an extension – and reflection of – United Way community partners, while energizing a broad and diverse range of major gift donors in a space ripe for donor cultivation and stewardship.  With a youthful staff working in a hybrid model, United Way of Metro Chicago was very conscious of designing a space where staff looked forward to coming to work and felt a part of something bigger than themselves. 

The gesture of the “helping hand” is carried out through the piece as an expression of a labor of love, embodying the United Way logo while illustrating the act of giving and receiving and the core value of compassion stemming from the organization’s mission.