ggp_black_multicoloredWhat are you grateful for today?

Highland Park initiated The Gratitude Graffiti Project in 2013 with great success and repeated the project in 2014, co-sponsored by Main Street Highland Park, the Highland Park Public Library, and the Borough of Highland Park.  We had over 30 businesses, schools, the library, senior center and places of worship involved.  The project began in Maplewood in 2012 and has spread to other towns in New Jersey and in Vancouver BC. 

The Gratitude Graffiti Project was a 33-day purposeful appreciation of one’s life through public interactive art in our community.  Specifically, residents were invited to consider sources of gratitude in their lives and then express it through words and/or illustrations on “Gratitude Graffiti Walls” in our community: store windows, the library, schools, sidewalks and places of worship.

These places acted as reminders or “gratitude stops”, where a person walking by mentally notes something for which they are grateful or takes it a step further by actually writing and or illustrating it on any of the “Walls”.  Through art, people can contemplate, create, rejuvenate and awaken a whole new perspective on how to look at how great life is and/or can be.

At the end of the 33 days, on Thanksgiving, The Gratitude Graffiti Walls are wiped clean— with the hopes that the project would create an attitude of gratitude throughout the community each day forward.

Participating Locations in Highland Park

 Highland Park Public Library Rutgers Barber Shop Pino’s Wine Shop
 Salon Envy Fall Out Shelter 10,000 Villages
 Saiff Drugs Century 21 Ruthie’s Bagels
 Highland Bark Robert’s Florals China Star
 Unite Pharmacy Al’s Cleaners Midori Sushi
 Cyber Knight Computers Over the Moon Toys Through the Moongate
Rebarber Family Chiropractic Bartle Elementary School Highland Park Middle School
Highland Park Conservative TempleOQ Coffee Highland Park High School
 Yellow Brick Road Preschool Highland Spark Main Street Highland Park

In the Media

http://www.njtvonline.org/news/video/gratitude-graffti-project-in-highland-park/
http://www.nj.com/middlesex/index.ssf/2013/11/thanksgiving_gratitude_graffiti_highland_park.html
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013310290030