City to unveil mural honoring pandemic healthcare workers

A new mural entitled “Resilience” by San Bernardino artist Brenda Angel will be unveiled at a 10:00 am ceremony on Wednesday, July 31 at the Encanto Community Center, located at 1108 West 9th Street. This is the second mural to be dedicated as part of the City of San Bernardino Beautification and Cultural Infusion Project funded through a Creative Corps Inland SoCal grant, from the Inland Empire Community Foundation in partnership with the California Arts Council.

The event is open to members of the community.

The mural, which depicts three masked healthcare workers, honors the unwavering dedication provided by San Bernardino healthcare professionals and first responders during the pandemic.

“Public art plays a vital role in fostering community pride and engagement,” said San Bernardino Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Director Lydie Gutfeld. “This mural’s title, “Resilience,” speaks volumes about our community and the personal sacrifice our health care workers made.”

The mural’s creator, local artist Brenda Angel, is an artist, designer, and muralist born and raised in San Bernardino. Originally focused on large canvas paintings, Angel created her first mural in 2022. Since then, she has created and worked on several murals, including for Omnitrans and the Alley Gallery.

The project was made possible by funding through a $100,000 Creative Corps Inland SoCal grant from the California Arts Council and the Inland Empire Community Foundation. The grant provided $40,000 to commission artists to create public murals at community centers and parks, $40,000 for cultural demonstrations and artist workshops promoting cultural diversity, education, and community engagement, and $20,000 for supplies and equipment.

Earlier this month, a mural entitled “Welcome to San Bernardino” created by local artist Christian Mariscal and also funded through the Creative Corps grant was unveiled at the Rudy C. Hernandez Community Center.