FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Main Street USA is ready to
‘Turn Optimism into Action!’
Madison, New Jersey to celebrate
International Day of Happiness and Shine a Light on Depression –
artists, organizations and the community at large
will unite to “PAINT THE TOWN YELLOW”
March – May 2017
Madison, NJ will set precedent as the first US town to celebrate the United Nation’s global holiday ‘International Day of Happiness’ (IDoH) designated as March 20th (celebrating its 5th anniversary). “Paint the Town Yellow” is town-wide initiative beginning on Main Street, Madison this March and ending in May (in honor of National Mental Health Month).
PREMISE: "The Pursuit of Happiness” is a cornerstone of the American Dream - a pursuit that requires action to become reality. From educators and business owners to artists and the Mayor’s Office, the community of Madison NJ is uniting to ‘Turn Optimism into Action’ by Painting the Town Yellow through yellow art exhibits, fundraisers, encouraging everyone to wear yellow, and hosting a series of special events. Like the color pink for breast cancer awareness, Madison’s participation hopes to embolden the color yellow to spill over into more communities, encouraging Optimism in these polarizing times, while also shining a light on Depression.
INT-O Yellow’ (a/k/a ‘International Optimism Yellow’) is a ‘Color with a Cause,’ developed in collaboration with Pantone Color Institute, artist Uncle Riley and UMEWE (pronounced ‘you-me-we’) as a platform for creatives to explore and share Optimism with others. www.intoyellow.com. Local business and organizations are participating by ‘adopting’ a piece of INT-O Yellow art from the Peg Williams Art Gallery to prominently display in storefronts and shops, or other prominent public locations, as well as by organizing independent ‘INT-O Yellow’ and Optimism-inspired projects for public participation and display, and providing discounts for those wearing yellow on March 20th.
QUOTES:
“Madison is a town of doers and dreamers where ‘we the people’ frequently join together to brighten our community through collaborative projects, celebrations and the arts. We are proud to be among the first towns in America to ‘Paint the Town Yellow’ and officially honor March 20th as International Day of Happiness and May as Mental Health Month. We invite other towns and cities in the U.S. and around the globe to join in this optimistic movement.” – Robert H. Conley, Mayor, Borough of Madison NJ
“Greater awareness and understanding of the challenges of depression, and mental health in general, will only serve to make our community stronger, healthier and more caring.” – Diane Mann, CEO, Madison Area YMCA
“This project was designed as a true platform for participation involving collaboration between companies, the community and creatives. It’s been exciting to witness everyone coming together, unified by International Optimism Yellow, to celebrate International Day of Happiness, shine a light on Depression and support this emerging art movement we call ‘Optimism.’” – Whitny Sobala, Co-Founder, UMEWE
CALENDAR OF EVENTS: The initiative kicks-off March 11th with a reception and group-show featuring Optimism inspired works of art at the Peg Williams Art Gallery at Short Stories Bookstore and Community Hub (23 Main Street., Madison NJ). All artwork features ‘INT-O Yellow’. Local businesses and organizations will continue to host a number of events and activities throughout town, further celebrating Optimism and helping to shine a light on depression.
Key Highlights:
· Resolution: At the March 6, 2017 Madison Town Hall Meeting @ 50 Kings Rd., Madison, NJ the Mayor will declare a town-wide resolution marking Madison’s recognition of March 20th as International Day of Happiness and May as Mental Health Month.
· Art Exhibition: March 11th until May 1st, 2017, anchored at the Peg Williams Gallery within Short Stories Bookshop and Community Hub, where works will be displayed, in addition to being distributed throughout town (locations TBD). INT-O Yellow paint, pins and t-shirts will also be available for sale at this time.
· Exhibition Reception & Kick-Off of Town-Wide Celebration with Key Note Speaker: (TBD)
March 11, 2017 3:00-5:00pm @ The Peg Williams Gallery within Short Stories Bookshop & Community Hub, 23 Main Street, Madison, NJ. The Rose City Whole Foods of Madison and Gary’s Wine & Marketplace are generously sponsoring the reception, providing free food and wine. Closing Reception April 30th (time TBD).
· Taste of Madison Benefit Art Auction: On March 20th (International Day of Happiness), Madison will host its annual Taste of Madison fundraiser at the Park Avenue Club in Madison, NJ beginning at 7:00pm, where chefs from Madison’s finest restaurants serve samples of their best dishes to benefit several Madison-based non-profits. The event will include a silent auction featuring a popular INT-O Yellow work by artist G. Riley Johndonnell (aka ‘Uncle Riley’) from the Peg Williams Gallery. The piece will be auctioned off to help support The Madison Area YMCA’s Community Mental Health Initiative and UMEWE.
· Town-Wide Discounts & Events: On March 20th, participating retail stores and organizations throughout the town will be providing discounts to customers wearing yellow and hosting Optimism-inspired activities and events (stores, organizations, events and discounts TBD).
· Speaker Series: Beginning the week of March 20th through April 30th at Short Stories Bookshop & Community Hub addressing topics such as Depression, Happiness, Optimism and Ways to Turn Optimism into Action, by an array of various speakers and authors (TBD).
· MACA/DDC Sidewalk Gallery Banner Art Project: Beginning in May, the MACA/DDC Sidewalk Gallery Banner Art project will be returning to Madison for its fourth year. This year, however, the project will be an extension of the “Paint the Town Yellow” campaign, where all artists will be united though their use of International Optimism Yellow. All banners will be auctioned at the Gala Auction event in October at the Hartley Dodge Memorial Building, with 50% of the sale price going to the artists.
BENEFITING: A portion of proceeds from all art sales will benefit the Madison Area YMCA’s Community Mental Health Initiative, the New Jersey Art Community, and UMEWE (a social benefit corporation which supports Optimistic public art and design). www.UMEWE.org
COLLABORATORS: Lead UMEWE collaborators and partners for “Paint the Town Yellow” include Short Stories Bookshop & Community Hub, The Borough of Madison, The Madison Downtown Development Commission, and The Madison Area YMCA. Additional collaborators include the Madison Chamber of Commerce, Madison Arts & Culture Alliance (MACA), The Pantone Color Institute, participating Madison-based businesses and organizations and participating NJ artists and musicians.
CURRENT LIST OF PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES: Short Stories Bookshop & Community Hub, Whole Foods, Gary’s Wine & Marketplace, Kitts & Co., Cramer’s Carpet & Home, Weichert, Jolie, Eyeglass Shoppe, Healthy Italia, Adams Dental, Waxing the City, Madison PhotoPlus, Chef Loryn’s, Redux, The Bar Method Madison, Beneath the Surface, Chatham Bookseller, Chaise Fitness, Madison Pharmacy, Madison Mud, FDU Credit Union. (Note: Additional details and businesses/organizations to be communicated in the coming weeks)
SUMMARY: This Optimism-inspired town initiative, spearheaded by UMEWE, reiterates a ‘think global act local’ strategy, by offering a platform for proud community collaboration and participation, while literally and metaphorically brightening the neighborhood—all with the intention of celebrating International Day of Happiness, raising awareness of Depression and inspiring other towns and cities around the US…and the world to join in.
SUPPORTING INFO:
Follow Us on Social Media:
www.intoyellow.com (click “Local Projects”)
#intoyellow
@intoyellow (Facebook)
@into_yellow (Instagram)
@ilovemadisonnj
How to Participate/Key Contacts:
Artists: galleryspace@shortstoriesnj.com
Madison-based civic organizations: ddc@rosenet.org
Madison-based businesses: madisonchamber@gmail.com
General questions: whitny@umeweinc.com
Key Collaborators:
The Madison Area YMCA’s Community Mental Health Initiative Strengthening Project Community Pride of the Madison Area YMCA, a no-fee youth counseling and support program, the Y’s Community Mental Health Initiative (CMHI) provides community education to reduce stigma and expand access to supportive mental health services. The initiatives’ goals are to increase knowledge about the prevalence, societal costs, signs and symptoms of mental health disorders; identify community resources; train and empower lay mental health “first aid providers”, as well as provide innovative mental health programming and community education. Help to advance Madison Borough’s goal of being a stigma-free town by raising awareness of mental health issues and providing access to services, particularly for those who could not otherwise afford them.
Short Stories Bookshop & Community Hub is an independent community bookshop and arts and culture hub in charming, vibrant downtown Madison, New Jersey. Launched as a social entrepreneurship venture by Barb Short and her daughters in 2014 and Kick-started by the community, we sit as a welcoming gateway into the heart of downtown Madison and as a cultural gateway into community experience and creative expression. We host private and public events in our big, open community space which showcases leading authors and fosters local talent through community events, music jams, open mics, classes and workshops, book clubs, and art exhibits. Join us: 23 Main Street, Madison, NJ. shortstoriesnj.com
UMEWE is an art and design collaborative on a mission to make a brighter world though supporting, promoting and disseminating optimistic works of art. Co-founded by fellow Madison resident and heart-driven brand strategist and Optimist, Whitny Sobala, and artist, activist and Optimist, Riley Johndonnell (aka ‘Uncle Riley’), UMEWE collaborates with companies, creatives and communities to create optimism-based products, experiences and public installations that help turn void into value and blight into light. For more info visit: UMEWE.org and INTOyellow.com
CONTACT:
Whitny Sobala
Whitny@umeweinc.com
PH: 908-872-6024