Friends of the Orphan Signs, a nonprofit organization that repurposes abandoned signs into art along Route 66 in Albuquerque, recently received a $20,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper, which reported on the award, said it was one of 19 organizations in New Mexico that received the federal grant.
Lindsey Fromm, the new executive director of Friends of the Orphan Signs, said the money will be used on one sign in the Nob Hill neighborhood and another in the Old Town area:
For the Nob Hill sign, FOS will collaborate with United Voices for Newcomer Rights, a nonprofit founded in 2015 by refugee and newcomer families as well as by UNM students and community advocates. UVNR works with asylum seekers, refugees, and other immigrants to help improve their lives as they settle into their new country of residence.
Most people don’t notice the Nob Hill sign, because for a long time, it was painted gray and blended into the urban landscape. However, it will soon stand out as not only a creative addition to beautify Albuquerque’s historic neighborhood, but also to serve as a form of expression for people whose voices are otherwise being silenced.
The organization has repurposed about a dozen signs along the Route 66 corridor in Albuquerque since 2010.
It also published a book (Amazon affiliate link) about decades of drawings from the Zeon Corporation, which designed and installed many neon signs in Albuquerque.
(Image of the repurposed Sundowner Motel sign in Albuquerque via Friends of the Orphan Signs)