Connected Communities, Inspire the Future
Intergenerational Public Art Project Unveiled by KCCI, W.T. Moore Elementary and Westminster Oaks
“Connected Communities, Inspire the Future” transforms loss of Dempsey Mayo Road artistic crosswalks into a celebration of community, creativity and connection
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Sept. 16, 2026 — The Knight Creative Communities Institute (KCCI), W.T. Moore Elementary School and Westminster Oaks unveil the “Connected Communities, Inspire the Future” new public artwork and new Art of the Box that transform the loss of the Dempsey Mayo Road three artistic crosswalks into a celebration of community, creativity and connection.
“This intergenerational public art project creates a sense of place and reminds us that Tallahassee’s greatest strength is its people,” said City of Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey. “This project demonstrates how collaboration across generations can strengthen neighborhoods and build connections that extend far beyond a single work of art.”
The unveiling represents how KCCI channeled an upset community toward the positive outcome of a creative collaboration between W.T. Moore students and neighboring Westminster Oaks residents. The colorful crosswalks had effectively slowed down car speeds by more than 20%, drawing attention to pedestrians, and had become a distinctive part of the neighborhood. Their removal, prompted by a State of Florida mandate affecting roadway pavement markings, generated strong reactions from nearby residents and families. Some neighbors were so determined to preserve the artwork that they laid down in the road in an effort to delay removal, drawing media attention from around the world.
“KCCI worked with the community to channel that energy into something positive, creative and lasting,” said Betsy Couch, KCCI Executive Director. “KCCI heard how much the 3-colored, geometric print traffic calming devices meant to everyone because the community had been involved in the design creation and witnessed how they improved safety. When the crosswalks disappeared, KCCI saw an opportunity to transform that disappointment into positive action – and that is creative placemaking at its best — using creativity to connect people and turn challenges into opportunities.”
The result is an intergenerational initiative uniting KCCI, Westminster Oaks residents and W.T. Moore Elementary School around a common goal: bring the art back — reimagined. This includes a collaborative fence mural created around the theme “Connected Communities, Inspire the Future.” W.T. Moore Elementary School 5th grade students expressed what the theme meant to them through designing original pieces of art. A few pieces, which were the strongest representations of the theme, were digitized and incorporated in the 50-foot mural design to hang on the fence in front of the school.
Student and resident artwork will be showcased at the Leon County East Side Branch Library (1583 Pedrick Rd.) and at W.T. Moore Elementary until October 31. The full collection will be digitally displayed at the Leon County Main Library (200 W. Park Ave) until October 31.
In addition, a new Art of the Box installation features one of the original Dempsey Mayo Road crosswalk designs, which was originally created by artist Cosby Hayes with the input of WT Moore Students and Westminster Oaks residents.
“This project is an example of what happens when students see that their creativity can make a meaningful contribution to the community around them,” said W.T. Moore Elementary School Principal William Millard. “Our students had the opportunity to create alongside their Westminster Oaks neighbors, learn from another generation, and turn a challenging moment into something joyful.”
The collaboration brought together three generations of neighbors who might not otherwise have had the opportunity to collaborate side-by-side. Students and Westminster Oaks residents contributed their ideas and artistic talents to a shared vision for a new piece of public art.
“Many of our residents serve as mentors to the W.T. Moore students,” said Shannon Sauls, executive director of Westminster Oaks. “When KCCI approached us for this project, we immediately saw the impact the Westminster community could have on mentoring students as well as adding value to the greater community by showing the power of intergenerational partnerships.”
For KCCI, the project reflects the organization’s longstanding commitment to using creative placemaking to strengthen Tallahassee and build deeper connections among the people who call the community home.
“The magic of this project is the relationships behind the artwork,” said Pamela Monroe, KCCI Community Catalyst. “Students and adults came together to listen to one another, created together and showed us what ‘Connected Communities, Inspire the Future’ can look like in practice. The art is beautiful, and the connections it created are the real legacy.”
The W.T. Moore art unveiling is part of KCCI’s 8th Annual Placemaking Week, which this year is an engaging month of free, hands-on community-building events, tours and activities designed to enhance Tallahassee’s sense of place. KCCI invites residents to join a project, meet their neighbors, and make a difference. All events are free. Two other schools where artistic crosswalks had been nearby will have beautification projects unveiled in September: Cobb Middle School & Nims Middle School. Learn more and register through KCCI’s 2026 Placemaking Week page.
2026 KCCI Placemaking Month upcoming events include:
- 20, Noon–2 p.m. — Live at The Stacks: Live music, local vendors, art and community at The Stacks at SoMo Walls
- 22, Noon–4 p.m. — Cobb SHINES: Help bring a new community mural to life at Miccosukee Road and Hillcrest Street, which was the site of the original Crosswalk to Classroom artistic crosswalk location. Register HERE.
- 23, Noon–4 p.m. — R. Frank Nims Middle School Community Day: Community beautification and live mural painting. Register HERE.
- 29, 5:30–8 p.m. — Speed Date Your Local Leaders: Goodwood’s Carriage House
- 30, 9–10 a.m. — See & Stroll: Walking tour highlighting Tallahassee’s artistic gems and improvement projects. Register to attend the free event HERE.
This W.T. Moore Elementary School project was made possible thanks to the support of Westminster Oaks and private donors of KCCI’s 2026 Community Catalyst team project WallA+ (pronounced like Viola!). KCCI is made possible thanks to community partners that make the KCCI Community Catalyst teams possible.
KCCI has previously led successful public placemaking mural art projects, such as The Stacks, the Good Things Grow Here mural by Cascades Park, the TLH mural on Market Street, and the Welcome to Midtown mural to name a few. These installations have become community landmarks and catalysts for neighborhood pride as well as economic development. For information about KCCI’s placemaking projects, visit kccitallahassee.com.
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About the Knight Creative Communities Institute (KCCI): Established in 2007, KCCI selects and organizes volunteers known as Community Catalysts to implement placemaking projects. These projects have helped enhance Tallahassee’s sense of place and generated nearly $1 billion in economic development. For 19 years, a new group of volunteer Community Catalysts is selected to plan and implement each annual project. The 2026 KCCI Community Catalysts include: Laura Barrett, Tetra Tech; Karen Brooks, Capital City Bank; Chris Carlberg, Florida State University; Alex Delgado, Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency; Shannon Devine, Academy Travel (Independent Contractor); Lori Elliott, Capital City Bank; Carla Juarez Farley, KPMG; Ryan Kline, Tallahassee Web Design; Tangela Lofton, Florida SBDC at FAMU; Holly McPhail, Windwood Communications; Mary McVicar, McV Tax; Pamela Monroe, Leon County Public Library; Tena Pate of Tena Pate and Associates; Chris Petley, Leon County Schools; Nicole Spina, Architects Lewis + Whitlock; Sam Varn, Retired (Awards4U). KCCI is made possible by partners including: VyStar Credit Union, Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, Taproot, FAMU School of Business and Industry, Florida State University, NAI TALCOR, Nolia & Bill Brandt, David Powell & Vicki Weber, Marjorie Turnbull, Serena and Jon Moyle, Tharpe Construction, Dentist Dr. Cory Couch, Windwood Communications, Target Print & Mail, and Hartsfield Construction.
About Wall A+ WALL+A — Walls for Art, Learning, and Local Activation — is KCCI’s creative placemaking initiative powered by its 2026 Community Catalyst team, using public art to transform everyday spaces into vibrant community landmarks across Tallahassee. By activating corridors and campuses alike, WALL+A strengthens neighborhoods, celebrates local creativity, and invests in the places where people live, learn, and gather. This year, KCCI led the creation of The Stacks, helping transform South Monroe Street into a dynamic outdoor arts destination. Featuring eight large-scale murals across stacked shipping containers, the installation creates a striking visual gateway for the Southside — driving tourism, fostering pride, and encouraging continued community investment. In addition, complementing this corridor activation, the WALL+A team is returning meaningful, lasting art to eight local school campuses, first focusing on neighborhoods that lost their artistic crosswalks. Building on strong community partnerships, the initiative turns campus walls into creative spaces that inspire students, strengthen neighborhood identity, and deepen connections between schools and their communities. Schools that have already benefited include: Hartsfield Elementary School, Sabal Palm Elementary, DeSoto Trail Elementary and W.T. Moore. Projects upcoming include Cobb Middle School, R. Frank Nims Middle School, Kate Sullivan Elementary, FAMU Foundation/FAMU Founder Accelerator Network Group Business Incubator. Together, these projects reflect the heart of WALL+A — leveraging art as a catalyst for economic vitality, educational enrichment, and long-term community transformation.