A new wave of civic pride is greeting drivers and pedestrians across Naperville thanks to the collaboration between city officials, local youth and advocates for public art.
The city of Naperville invited young artists from school districts 203 and 204 to submit their own designs for new banners commemorating America’s 250th anniversary.
“They’re fantastic!” said Shannon Greene Robb, Co-Founder of ArtForum Naperville.
From paper to public art
Officials sought the expertise of ArtForum to select 50 out of the roughly 80 submissions to be translated from hand drawings on paper to the large-scale banners.
“Since we’ve worked with a lot of public art, we know about [how] the pieces are up high, the public is driving by them,” said Shannon Greene Robb, “and then also to zoom in on the pieces to keep their integrity. We want to make sure their artwork was properly represented and then could be viewed as the public was driving by.”
The company Bannerville made the banners, which cost about $5,000, paid for from the city’s operating budget, according to City Clerk, Dawn Portner.
On full display
Today, they can be seen waving in the wind along Mill Street, Jefferson Avenue, and 95th Street.
Many feature American icons such as a bald eagle, stars and stripes, and the Statue of Liberty.
“It’s a chance to look at our kids and see that they all have an individual voice,” said Robb. “I think that’s a beautiful thing. I think that it’s a glorious thing.”
“I am always amazed by—and incredibly proud of—the talent displayed by students in both of our school districts, regardless of their age,” said Portner. “This year’s patriotic theme, commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the United States, was embraced with creativity, thoughtfulness, and pride by each of the young artists. I hope everyone who sees these banners feels the same sense of pride that I do.”
The banners will remain on display until the end of summer at which point each student that designed them will take them home as a keepsake.
Banner program background
These commemorative banners are part of a larger banner program that started in 2022 in an effort to beautify the city and “improve the quality of life and foster connections among residents, promoting a sense of community pride and inclusiveness,” according to a June city manager memorandum.
The program began with Naperville Salutes banners honoring local veterans and has since grown to include Teacher Appreciation banners and multiple displays featuring student artwork. Portner says she hopes the city can “continue this project well into the future.”
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