Tokeya Waci U Richardson to lead Lawrence mural collaboration downtown

Tokeya Waci U Richardson will lead the next stage of a downtown Lawrence mural project with a plan that treats the wall as a gathering place, not just a canvas. At 725 Vermont St., on the ground-level west-facing wall of the Vermont Street Parking Garage opposite the stairs and next to the Lawrence Public Library, Richardson intends to build a mural that lets residents help shape the finished work.

The City of Lawrence opened the project with a request for qualifications on Oct. 15, 2025, and set a Nov. 16, 2025 deadline. The mural carries a $5,500 budget. Twelve local artists and artist teams applied, and a review panel that included Lawrence Public Library representatives Jenny Cook and Tracy Bunkers, Parking Manager Brad Harrell, and members of the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission chose three finalists: Richardson, Chris Keifer, and Kai and Josh Novak. Each finalist received a $300 stipend to develop a more detailed proposal before the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission recommended Richardson and the City Commission approved him on March 10, 2026.

Richardson brings a strong local record to the assignment. He is Oglala Lakota and Haliwa-Saponi, has completed murals for Haskell Indian Nations University, and has two pieces on bus shelters in Lawrence. His work, The Lance and Shield Buffalo Robe, was also selected for the Spencer Museum of Art’s 2024-2025 Native Fashion exhibition. For city leaders, that background fits a public art program that they say is meant to strengthen community bonds, support storytelling, and create more inclusive spaces.

Richardson has said the mural’s themes will include inclusivity, community, healing and warmth. He also plans to place a plaque near the work explaining the symbols used, a detail that turns the finished piece into a readable community story rather than a mystery on a wall. More importantly, he wants residents involved in the making. Richardson plans to invite people to paint sections of the mural themselves, using brushes or even their hands, so the project becomes a shared mark on a highly visible downtown space.

That approach gives the mural an immediate practical entry point for Lawrence residents who want to take part in the project instead of only passing by it. It also leaves a larger question for the city: whether this collaboration at the Vermont Street garage will stand as a one-time artwork or become a model for future neighborhood-based community building in Lawrence.