Public Art at Fairmont State University

Creating Art. Sharing Stories. Connecting Communities.

Public Art That Connects Students and West Virginia Communities

Fairmont State University’s Public Art Program brings students, faculty, and community partners together to create artwork that reflects the people, histories, and places of West Virginia.

Led by artist and faculty member Joel T. Dugan within the Department of Architecture, Art and Design, the program connects creative education with community projects. Students contribute to murals and public installations while gaining experience in research, design, collaboration, and large-scale production.

From downtown buildings to parks and community centers, these projects make art part of everyday life. They provide opportunities to recognize local heritage, share overlooked stories, and bring people together around a shared sense of place.

Connect Through Public Art

Interested in a community art project or learning more about student involvement? Connect with Fairmont State’s Department of Architecture, Art and Design.

Explore Our Projects Discuss a Community Project Explore Art & Design Programs

Overview Program Highlights Community Projects Student Learning Career Connections Community Partnerships Contact

The Fairmont State Difference – Learning Through Community Collaboration

Public art begins with understanding a place and the people who call it home. Fairmont State’s approach connects artistic practice with community input, giving students opportunities to work alongside faculty, local organizations, and residents.

Students see how an idea develops into a public work of art—and how that process changes when it moves beyond the studio. Projects bring together creative problem-solving, practical production challenges, and the responsibility of representing a community’s stories.

Program Highlights

Community Stories

Create artwork informed by local history, culture, and identity. Projects offer communities a visible way to celebrate their heritage and recognize the people who have shaped it.

A student using a paint sprayer on a mural

Work-Based Learning

Connect classroom and studio learning with community projects. Students gain experience contributing to designs, responding to feedback, and helping produce artwork for public settings.

Student posing in front of part of a mural with a faculty member

Faculty Mentorship

Work alongside practicing artist Joel T. Dugan and fellow students. Faculty guidance helps students develop their ideas, strengthen their techniques, and navigate the demands of collaborative projects.

Arts Entrepreneurship

Explore the professional relationships behind public art. Community projects introduce students to how artists develop proposals, communicate with partners, and connect creative work with public needs.

Community Public Art Projects

A mural of someone fishing in Preston County

Preston County America250 Mural

Kingwood, 2026

Developed through Fairmont State’s Public Art Program for the Preston County Courthouse Annex, this mural connects local identity with West Virginia’s America250 celebration. Students worked with Joel T. Dugan to develop designs inspired by the county’s landscape and community character.

Marion County War Memorial Mural

Fairmont, 2026

Created by Fairmont State students with guidance from Joel T. Dugan, this mural contributes to a memorial honoring military service and sacrifice. The student-developed concept connects generations through the experience of leaving home to serve and returning to the community.

A mural in a park behind a large American flag

A mural of the Flatwoods monster in Braxton, WV

Braxton County Heritage Mural

Sutton, 2026

Located on the Cardboard Coliseum building in downtown Sutton, this mural celebrates Braxton County’s history and local identity, including the Flatwoods Monster. Joel T. Dugan and students Quinn Ratliff, Harrison Walker, and Salem Nichols designed and completed the work, adapting their production approach to the conditions of the site.

Gilmer County America250 Mural

Glenville, 2026

Created for the America250 initiative, this downtown mural celebrates Gilmer County’s heritage and community pride. Joel T. Dugan worked with Fairmont State student artists Salem Nichols, Gabriela Reyna, and Hannah Sprout, alongside a partnership involving local organizations and Glenville State University.

A mural of fiddle players and a mountaineer in Gilmer County

A mural of fish and birds in Morgantown, WV

The Wild Thread of High Street

Morgantown, 2025

This mural on the back of South High Station explores wildlife and the community’s relationship with Deckers Creek. Fairmont State students helped refine designs developed with Morgantown High School students, while community volunteers contributed to production. The project brought together art, environmental stewardship, and downtown engagement.

Marion County Senior Center Mural

Fairmont, 2025

A collaboration involving Fairmont State, Fairmont Senior High School, and the Marion County Senior Center brought a new mural to the center’s stairwell. The project connected students across educational levels while helping create a welcoming environment for older adults, staff, and visitors.

First Responders Commemorative Mural

Cheat Lake, 2024

Unveiled at the Cheat Lake Volunteer Fire Department, this mural honors Monongalia County first responders who assisted at Ground Zero following the September 11 attacks. Joel T. Dugan and a team of 12 student artists created the work.

Kelly Miller Community Center Mural

Clarksburg, 2023

Created by Joel T. Dugan and Fairmont State students, this mural honors educator and community leader Mary Hunt. The work adds a public tribute to the Kelly Miller Community Center and its role in the community.

A mural honoring educator and community leader Mary Hunt on the Kelly Miller Community Center

A mural showing people sharing a meal together

Clarksburg Mission Mural

Clarksburg, 2023

This mural project connects public art with the Clarksburg Mission’s community setting. Joel T. Dugan worked with Mission representatives to develop a design for the site, extending creative collaboration beyond campus.

The Feast

Fairmont, 2021

Located on Monroe Street, The Feast celebrates the Feast of the Seven Fishes tradition. Created by Joel T. Dugan and inspired by Fairmont State alumnus Robert Tinnell’s book and film, the mural grew from a partnership involving the City of Fairmont, Marion County Commission, Main Street Fairmont, and Allegheny Image Factory.

A mural depicting a feast of the seven fishes

A mural celebrating Mannington’s history and its connection to the oil and gas industry

Mannington History Mural

Mannington, 2021

Created by Joel T. Dugan, this mural celebrates Mannington’s history and its connection to the oil and gas industry. The project brings local heritage into public view, offering residents and visitors a connection to the stories that shaped the community.

Palatine Park History Mural

Fairmont, 2020

Fairmont State students worked with Joel T. Dugan to research, design, and paint a mural featuring historical figures from Marion County. Community conversations helped shape the project, connecting student learning with the region’s history and identity.

A colorful mural on the side of the WIC building

WIC Office Mural

Fairmont, [Completion year]

Developed for the WIC office in Bellview, this project connects Fairmont State’s creative work with a community service setting. The mural brings art into a space serving local children and families.

Student Learning From Concept to Community

Public art gives students opportunities to apply their creative skills in settings where collaboration, communication, and practical decisions shape the finished work. Recent projects have involved students from Studio Art, Graphic Design, and Architecture, bringing different perspectives to shared design and production challenges.

Research & Storytelling

Explore local histories, community perspectives, and visual references to develop artwork with a meaningful connection to its setting.

Prof. Dugan explaining a mural to a child

Design & Communication

Translate ideas into visual concepts, explain creative choices, and respond to feedback from faculty and community partners.

Production & Problem-Solving

Adapt designs to large surfaces, materials, and site conditions. Work as a team to address the practical challenges of creating public artwork.

Professional Practice

Document completed work, reflect on the project process, and build experience communicating with collaborators and public audiences.

Career Connections & Arts Entrepreneurship

Public art projects help students explore how creative skills can support a professional practice. Working with community partners provides a setting to develop communication, teamwork, and project experience alongside artistic technique.

These experiences can complement preparation for careers such as:

One student on a lift and another student on the ground painting a mural

Muralist & Public Artist

Develop site-specific artwork for communities, organizations, businesses, and public spaces.

Career pathways depend on a student’s degree, portfolio, experience, and any additional qualifications required.

EXPLORE ART & DESIGN PROGRAMS

A student painting a mural at a senior center

Community Arts Coordinator

Help organize creative projects, connect artists with partners, and support public participation in the arts.

Career pathways depend on a student’s degree, portfolio, experience, and any additional qualifications required. >

EXPLORE ART & DESIGN PROGRAMS

Exhibition & Environmental Graphic Designer

Apply visual storytelling to exhibitions, buildings, and shared spaces.

Career pathways depend on a student’s degree, portfolio, experience, and any additional qualifications required.

EXPLORE ART & DESIGN PROGRAMS

A group of people standing around a table painting

Independent Artist & Creative Entrepreneur

Develop a creative practice through commissions, proposals, partnerships, and other professional opportunities.

Career pathways depend on a student’s degree, portfolio, experience, and any additional qualifications required.

EXPLORE ART & DESIGN PROGRAMS

Community Partnerships

Fairmont State’s projects have connected students and faculty with local governments, schools, community organizations, businesses, and residents.

These partnerships help identify the stories a community wants to share and bring together the support needed to create the work. Each project offers a different opportunity to connect artistic learning with a community’s goals.

Have an idea for public art in your community? Contact the Department of Architecture, Art and Design to discuss the location, vision, potential partners, and available resources.

Discuss a Community Project

Faculty Leadership

Joel Dugan on a lift painting a mural with a student

Joel T. Dugan

Chair - Department of Architecture Art and Design, Professor of Art

Artist and educator Joel T. Dugan leads public art collaborations that connect Fairmont State students with communities across West Virginia. His approach brings together creative practice, community engagement, and faculty mentorship, helping students understand both the production of public artwork and the relationships that make it possible.

Contact Info

Email: Joel.Dugan@fairmontstate.edu
Phone: 304-367-4704