When hundreds of people picked up a paintbrush at Wilton’s Be You Festival, they weren’t just filling in colors on a wall—they were filling a town with a message: you belong here.
The result was an eight-foot-tall, three-sided mural titled Belonging. More than 700 residents—from children to seniors—painted the mural using a paint-by-numbers format created by local artist Brian Kaspr. Each participant added their strokes of color, blending hundreds of individual contributions into a collective masterpiece.
Organized by Wilton Pride and supported by the Wilton Youth Council, the mural was more than an art project. It was a response to what organizers call the “loneliness epidemic”—a way to combat isolation with connection, one brushstroke at a time.
“When you create space to belong,” said Wilton Pride founder Farah Masani, “people will show up. This mural is proof.”
Unlike most murals fixed to a wall, Belonging is on the move. Designed to be portable, it now travels throughout Wilton, stopping at schools, libraries, churches, and community centers. At each stop, the mural invites new conversations—about inclusion, visibility, and the simple yet powerful truth that art can bring people together.
Students walking into class see it. Congregants passing through church doors see it. Library visitors stop to take photos with it. Wherever it goes, it reminds people that belonging isn’t abstract—it’s something you can see, touch, and feel.
In a town where LGBTQ+ residents have sometimes felt unseen, the mural has already become a symbol of acceptance. Organizers say it has sparked new partnerships between schools, local nonprofits, and faith communities who are eager to host it.
The mural’s mobility also ensures that the act of inclusion isn’t centralized to a single space—it ripples across Wilton, making belonging visible in every corner of the community.
For those who painted, the experience was transformative. Children dipped brushes beside grandparents. Teens painted next to teachers. Families stood side by side with strangers. Each square of color was small, but together they created something lasting.
“It’s more than just a mural,” said one teen participant. “It’s proof that we’re all part of something bigger.”
Belonging doesn’t just happen—it’s created. This story reminds us that even small acts of participation, like painting a patch of color, can transform into a visible, traveling message of hope. Wilton’s mural shows how a community can literally paint a future where no one feels left out.
