Check out some of the finished doors from the ‘Opening Doors: The Art of Inclusion’ project

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - If you have recently walked into downtown Harrisonburg, you may have noticed a few doors on display.

They are a part of the Opening Doors: The Art of Inclusion project which is a collaboration between the Arts Council of the Valley and The Arc of Harrisonburg and Rockingham.

We first told you about this project back in October of last year. Just a few months ago we checked in with Harrisonburg artist Laura Thompson to see how her door is coming along. You can see the finished product in front of Massanutten Regional Library in downtown Harrisonburg.

Twenty artists in the Friendly City received doors to decorate to show what inclusion means to them. They were encouraged to work with a nonprofit agency in the community that works with underserved populations to complete the project.

“I’ve had this idea since 2016, to finally see it come to fruition thanks to the Arts Council of the Valley,” Heather Denman with The Arc explained.

The Arc is a nonprofit based in Harrisonburg that supports individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

“Now they are out in the public and I’m hoping this will start conversations about inclusion. The artists have done their job,” Jenny Burden added.

Burden is the executive director of The Arts Council of the Valley.

The doors will be installed throughout the downtown area from Hotel Madison to the Public Safety Building. There will also be signage with information and a QR code to follow the doors on a walking tour throughout Harrisonburg.

Jenny Burden and Heather Denman say this is just the beginning and there will be more events to celebrate the project throughout the summer.

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