Mural to Be Installed on Corner of 12th & Fillmore Streets
For Immediate Release: July 27, 2026
Mural to Be Installed on Corner of 12th & Fillmore Streets
LYNCHBURG, VA - In 2026, the City of Lynchburg and the Central Virginia Health District were awarded a grant from the Virginia Walkability Action Institute (VWAI) to improve pedestrian safety and comfort along the 12th Street corridor near R.S. Payne Elementary School.
In the spring of 2026, staff from the City & the Central Virginia Health District conducted safety observations and developed recommendations to improve pedestrian safety. The team also identified the location for a welcoming new public art installation, directly across from Payne Elementary School, on the retaining wall at the corner of 12th and Fillmore streets.
Staff met with local artists, Christina Davis and Jawansa Hall, to provide background information, share public input, and relay a vision of 12th Street as a thriving community marketplace. The artists then created conceptual designs for the mural, entitled “Every Color Speaks.”
Neighborhood stakeholders were asked to vote on their favorite design and share their thoughts about the Diamond Hill area and the value of public art. Ninety-four responses were gathered, and more than twenty people volunteered to help with mural implementation. The mural is scheduled for installation starting in late July 2026 and concluding in early August 2026.
This project connects existing plans, including the Diamond Hill Neighborhood Plan, adopted in December 2024, and the 12th Street Implementation Roadmap, both of which recommend public art installations on 12th Street to activate public space and support revitalization.
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About the VWAI – The VWAI is a project of the Virginia Department of Health, which works to increase access to everyday destinations through active and public transportation across the Commonwealth of Virginia. Members receive training and technical assistance, then develop a detailed action plan to improve active transportation in their communities.
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For more information, contact:
Charlotte Lester, Neighborhood Planner II
Department of Community Development
434.455.3900
