Paint a mural on a community building.You could paint a landscape of your community, a map of points-of-interest in your community or a scenic view from a certain location. A library may appreciate a mural of children reading or the post office may enjoy a mural of the history of the Post Service. Ask the local park service if there is a park building that could use a mural portraying the beauty of the park or town. Contact the people in charge and present a rough-draft or a canvas painting of your ideas for the mural.
Some communities have benches in the downtown area or in a park. Ask local officials if you can paint the benches with an artistic flair. You could paint them to complement the surroundings or choose a theme, such as community strength or working together. Find inspiration from a work of poetry or by studying the history of the town.
Cleveland began an art project by painting large guitars and placing them around the town, representing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Chicago did the same thing with large cows. Think about what makes your community unique. Talk to a local tourism or business bureau to get advice. Create larger-than-life sculptures of the item of your choice and paint them. Your color choice doesn't have to be realistic, just artistic.
If you can sew, make a quilt that can hang in a public building such as a library or a school. Use pieces of fabric to make a quilt that is characteristic of your community, whether you opt for bright, urban colors or country patterns. Do a school project and invite kids to each bring in a piece of fabric to contribute to the quilt, symbolizing school unity. Involve older adults at a nursing home to help you cut out pieces or sew the quilt together.
Showcase local talent and creativity by setting up an art show at a local business, museum or gallery. Advertise for local artists to submit pieces to the exhibit. Invite a class of students or a group of seniors to contribute to the show. Award prizes for best in show, best in an age group or best of a certain medium. If the exhibit is at a business, display the art in the window so that passersby can view the pieces.