Local Art Showcased In CDC Museum Exhibit In Atlanta

“The Vermillion Cultural Association is now doubly honored to have been a support to such a worthy community Arts & Health project,” said VCA board president Susan Heggestad.

On display at the CDC Museum are colorful paper quilt squares arranged on wires to mimic the design of a fabric quilt in the Barn Quilt Project installation. Artists from Creative Care drew on a long, cross-cultural tradition of quilting in the region by traveling throughout nine communities across the state in 2022, including rural areas and tribal reservations, to help South Dakotans craft these geometric designs. At local events, participants were invited to share their own pandemic experiences, and their personal stories of resilience can be found on the back of each paper quilt square.

“To have South Dakotans’ work showcased in the CDC exhibition is a strong validation of the effort and heart we put into every mile we drove, every conversation we had, and every nine-square quilt made,” said project leader and Creative Care owner Ariadne Albright. “The strength of this hands-on art project seems to be the beauty of the fine art papers, the challenge of the quilt design patterns, and the sense of community built among people who came out to work with us.”

“Our talented partner organizations have created meaningful, innovative projects that engaged and informed community members,” said Catherine Zilber, MSc, vice president for infectious disease programs at the CDC Foundation. “This new exhibition features impressive art and uplifting messaging that demonstrates the crucial role the arts can play in communicating about important public health issues.”

“Trusted Messengers: Building Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines Through Art” exhibition will run through spring 2023 and features work from Studio Two Three in Richmond, Virginia; Saint Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective in St. Louis, Missouri; West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Community Music School of Springfield and the Springfield Cultural Partnership in Springfield, Massachusetts; and the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

For more information about the exhibition or the David J. Sencer CDC Museum, please visit its website.

Funding for this effort is made possible through a subaward from the CDC Foundation and is part of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) financial assistance award totaling $2,500,000.00 with 100 percent funding from CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CDC/HHS or the U.S. Government.