New murals coming to Laurier University to celebrate Indigenous culture

Wilfrid Laurier University will soon have new artwork thanks to a real community effort.

The school hosted an interactive painting session Thursday, inviting people to stop by and help create a new mural celebrating Indigenous culture.

The artist behind the project said community has always been at the heart of his design.

“Leading up to today, and leading up to the design process, we had a couple community consultation sessions. So I came in and did a couple workshops and talked to people that work here, people from the community, students - all that. And kind of asked different things like: what's important to you? What's your connection to Laurier? Even things down to what's your favourite colour?" said Indigenous artist Mike Cywink.

Cywink will be on Laurier’s Waterloo campus hosting an interactive painting session for community members on July 20 and August 15.

Up to 120 participants will paint large canvas panels to cover the Laurier Library’s southwest wall in advance of Laurier’s Sept. 28 reveal event

Coordinators said the response so far has been incredible, and every session is full of people eager to make the vision a reality. When it's done the mural will cover the library's southwest wall.