Community Mural Being Installed at Hood Park in Concordia

Hood Park, located at 13th and Archer Streets in Concordia, is getting a makeover.

The Concordia Mural Project began in late-May, a grassroots “strategic doing” effort to promote local travel and tourism, inspire residents, highlight the community's heritage and promote the fine arts in the Concordia community.

Concordia native Cody Schmitz, an artist, video producer, writer, and influencer with degrees in Journalism and Spanish from the University of Kansas, is painting the first mural project in the community.

Schmitz said he first had a conversation with CloudCorp and members of a local mural committee in the summer of 2023 about installing a mural project in Concordia.

The mural is funded by the Concordia Rotary Club and the Rotary District 5680 grant.

The Rotary Club supports education for all children and literacy for children and adults.

The mural Schmitz is painting is titled, "Reading Takes You to Magical Places."

Schmitz believes the project celebrates Rotary's values, tying itself closely to the Concordia Rotary Club's yearly donation of books to the Concordia Elementary School library.

As the son of a teacher, he also loves that the mural supports basic education and literacy.

The painting is expected to be complete by the end of the month.

Placed in a public park, this mural is there for everyone.

Schmitz told KNCK News he loves that he has the chance to create something for his hometown.

For more information about the project, visit Concordia Mural Project on Facebook.