Neighborhood Engagement Launches Civic Programs on Valentine’s Day to Strengthen Community Connections

The City of Lancaster Department of Neighborhood Engagement will launch two community engagement programs on Valentine’s Day, highlighting the power of love, community, and action in strengthening Lancaster city neighborhoods.

The Bureau of Civic Engagement will introduce the Neighborhood Art Project, a new initiative designed to encourage public art and creative placemaking in neighborhoods. A call for artists will go out on Feb. 14, inviting local artists to apply for opportunities to create public art that reflects the vibrancy and diversity of the Lancaster community. The Neighborhood Art Project is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Alongside this new initiative, the Love Your Block (LYB) program will return this year, with grant applications opening on Feb. 14. Now entering its seventh year, the program awards grants to residents dedicated to revitalizing their neighborhoods through community-led projects. LYB is made possible through the generous support of the High Foundation.

Staff will be on site at the Lancaster Public Library on Feb. 14 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. to provide residents with information about LYB grants as well as technology for residents to use to apply. 

To complement the launch, temporary public art installations will appear in Binns Park and Ewell Plaza, 100 block of N. Queen St., on Feb. 14 where residents will be encouraged to share what they love about Lancaster city. 

In Binns Park, a heart-shaped light tunnel will be installed, where visitors can walk through and read messages on “conversations hearts” along the way. The tunnel will lead to a wire fence installation on the Binns Park stage, where visitors can attach a heart-shaped lock with a meaningful message or their initials. The goal is to fill the fence with hearts, inspired by the love locks of Paris. 

On the Ewell Plaza side, a temporary heart-shaped mural will be installed in front of the Lancaster Public Library. Residents will have the opportunity to write inside the heart, responding to the prompt, “What do you love about Lancaster City?” 

The installations, on display through March 14, reflect the City’s commitment to fostering community pride and participation.

“Love Your Block has shown us how small acts of service lead to meaningful change. Investing in civic engagement programming strengthens our neighborhoods and brings people together. Now, the Neighborhood Art Project will further enhance our city’s culture through public art and storytelling,” said Mayor Danene Sorace.

City staff emphasize the importance of empowering residents to take an active role in shaping their neighborhoods.

“Community engagement isn’t just about participation; it’s about creating opportunities for residents to lead. Love Your Block has demonstrated that small grants can make a significant impact, and the Neighborhood Art Project will add an artistic dimension to our city’s transformation,” said Joshua F. Beltre, an engagement specialist for the Bureau of Civic Engagement.

Details and applications will be available online starting Feb. 14 at www.cityoflancasterpa.gov/neighborhoods.