Cultivating a “Garden of Belonging”

If you've stopped by the Madison Senior Center lately, you probably noticed a vibrant new addition to our dining site. After collecting community feedback and combining it with our vision for an inclusive place where older adults can thrive, the MSC installation of our new “Garden of Belonging" community mural is complete.  

The creative process driving this project included multiple opportunities for members of the MSC community to engage and play a direct role in shaping the new look of our shared space. We happily welcome this change and hope that it will bolster everyone's sense of belonging at the senior center!  

The idea of bringing artwork into the dining area originally came from MSC members who expressed a desire for a more colorful and uplifting piece to replace what had previously been on the wall. In late 2025, MSC staff distributed surveys to community members and collected ideas for the mural's motifs, themes, and design. This collective deliberation ensured that the project would be member centric as it moved along.  

Our partner organization Developing Artists, Murals, & Alliances (DAMA) played a vital role in guiding the mural's creation. In January 2026, MSC staff reviewed community feedback and found an overwhelming desire for a mural that evokes feelings of welcome and of peace. After narrowing in on a consistent theme and artistic style for the project with DAMA's support, Emily Larson Rodriguez, the organization's Lead Artist and Designer, was selected to bring our community mural to life. Combining her artistic vision with the concepts drawn from the community surveys, Rodriguez sketched out what would eventually become “Garden of Belonging."   

With a working sketch of our mural ready to paint, the next step was to invite the community to add its mark to the design with color. The mural was sketched onto polytab, a durable and portable type of canvas cloth.  In March MSC hosted two collaborative painting sessions for which we invited members, friends, family, caregivers and staff to paint together, no matter what their level of artistic experience. DAMA artists provided artistic guidance and technical demonstrations while encouraging everyone to express themselves creatively and add personalized touches to the mural.  

After the community painting events, the mural was just about complete and passed back to our DAMA partner artist, Emily Larson Rodriguez for finishing touches. To keep up our members' involvement at this closing stage of the process, MSC staff distributed another survey asking the community to name the mural.  The winning title, “Garden of Belonging" by Scott Heinz, is on a gallery plaque next to the mural. 

With all of the pieces in place, the “Garden of Belonging" community mural was ready to be unveiled to the community on June 24, 2026. The unveiling ceremony featured remarks from MSC Facility Operations Supervisor Alana LaBeaf, DAMA Executive Director Sharon Kilfoy, Lead Artist Emily Larson Rodriguez, and Alder Michael Verveer. Taking its place in a space that is prominently visible from the center's entrance, “Garden of Belonging" is a livening depiction of the MSC's atmosphere and its tight-knit community.  

We hope that “Garden of Belonging" fosters an inclusive sense of belonging for the diverse communities of older adults served at MSC. Whether you're coming in for a program, lunch or just stopping by, we welcome you with open arms.   

This project was supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts. Remaining funding was provided by the Madison Senior Center Foundation.