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PROJECT SUMMARY

Community volunteers in action

Thank you to our sponsors & Donors!

Individual Donors: Janette Yauch, Kim Nietch, Bob Dugan, Nancy Woodin, Eleonora Fusco, Sara Sartarelli, and Kathie Hickey

In the summer of 2025, The Carnegie Center of Columbia Tusculum created a community art mural inside of the pedestrian tunnel connecting Eastern Avenue and Stack Street/Congress Avenue. This project was coordinated by The Carnegie Center of Columbia Tusculum, lead by a professional artist, but designed and painted collaboratively with community residents and volunteers. The finished product is vibrant and attractive. We would live to wholeheartedly thank all of the volunteers, donors, supporters and residents for helping make this community art project happen!

While we anticipated 45 to 60 active participants in the design and painting of both murals, but we had more than 100 volunteers help with this project! Many more will benefit from the transformation as they walk, run, bike, and enjoy the connecting tunnel through our community—including visitors from outside our immediate residential neighborhood. In 2026, the Unity Tunnel will be part of America 250- Ohio Statewide Mural Recognition Program. This is a self-guided map of public art murals across the state of Ohio. Details will be released in May of 2026

The tunnel is a pedestrian-only tunnel, connecting the southern most side of our community with the core business/residential district residing north of the railroad tracks. Unfortunately, the railroad tracks segregates these two community sections. The tunnel connects sidewalks on both sides of the railroad and is part of the Ohio River Trails bicycle connections. A few years ago, the tunnel benefited from lighting installed inside of the tunnel. This year, the community aimed to beautify the tunnel by creating community a large art mural inside the tunnel.

The creation of this project took place over the past 4-6 years. Community residents have voiced concern about the unattractive passage that many residents pass through under the railroad tracks at community council meetings and while attending community events. This passage connects pedestrians to the north and south sides of our neighborhood and is part of the city’s bike path. The concept of a community-lead mural started by a few residents voicing the idea at community events. Research into the feasibility of a mural started, and the executive director of The Carnegie Center of Columbia Tusculum lead the forward progress toward a concerted plan and timeline.

A grant from the Ohio Arts Council was pivotal to the financial support our project. Other donations from local nonprofits included Columbia Tusculum Community Council, The Carnegie Center of Columbia Tusculum, and 3 East Business Association. 10% of the funding came directly from local residents and small community businesses! We would like to thank The Bookery, Streetside Brewery, and Manitou Candle Company for their support! A big thanks goes to our local resident donors: Janette Yauch, Kim Nietch, Bob Dugan, Nancy Woodin, Eleonora Fusco, Sara Sartarelli, and Kathie Hickey!

Unity Tunnel Mural was led by professional mural artist, L.D. Nehls, hired by The Carnegie Center of Columbia Tusculum and designed collaboratively by community volunteers, including children and teens. The project design started on August 16, 2025 at the Community Art Day. Included in the project was an anti-graffiti coating applied to the finished mural. The tunnel is 8’ wide, 65’ long, and 8’ tall, and one mural “panel” is 520 square feet, totaling 1040 square feet of painted space. Neighborhood themes that were incorporated into the design include transportation connections, historic heritage, and connecting community through time.

LD Nehls is a muralist and illustrator based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Blending imagery from the natural world with abstract "macro-landscapes," Nehls creates vibrant, playful paintings and murals that spark curiosity and invite viewers to explore the world within each piece.  For more information about her public art, collaborations, or commissions, please email L.d.nehls@gmail.com.

The finished community art mural is hopefully serving as a vibrant artistic, educational, and cultural asset by bringing residents together in a collaborative creative process that strengthens community bonds and fosters civic pride. Designed and painted by community members under the guidance of a professional artist, the mural provided collaboration and teamwork, problem-solving, encouraging self-expression, and storytelling. By transforming a previously overlooked pedestrian tunnel into an inviting and visually engaging space, we hope the art creates a sense of inclusivity, deters vandalism, and enhances the area’s cultural identity. Additionally, the mural will inspire future community-driven initiatives that celebrate local creativity and shared public spaces. Plans are already in the works for a second mural on the tunnel’s opposite wall in 2026! Email events@thecarnegiecenter.org to donate or volunteer to help with this next phase!