New Neighbors is a transformative community art initiative developed during a year-long Artist Residency at Golden Belt in Durham, NC, through the Durham Art Guild. The project featured approximately 50 paintings inspired by photographs of Durham residents, which were installed on the facades of four abandoned homes and one empty school on the same block. On opening night, close nearly 200 people walked the North Driver Street neighborhood at dusk. Residents from the neighborhood associations served as docents and shred their pride in East Durham. Preservation North Carolina discussed the historical significance of the buildings. Only Burger fed the masses. These vibrant works of art were exposed to the elements for six weeks, allowing them to weather naturally, before being collected and auctioned to benefit the community.

Proceeds from the auction supported Project R.E.D. (Rebuilding East Durham) and the Durham Art Guild, underscoring the project’s commitment to revitalizing the area and fostering local arts. The artwork was also showcased in exhibitions at Golden Belt and Outsider Art and Collectibles in Durham, extending the reach of the project’s impact.

The project garnered attention both locally and beyond, including a feature on the radio show The State of Things with Frank Stasio. Learn more about the project’s origins and the story of its location through this article on Bull City Rising and the history of the Y.E. Smith building on Open Durham.

A selection of the paintings is now on display at The Parlour in downtown Durham, where visitors can enjoy the artwork alongside some of the city’s favorite ice cream.