ReSTart Scranton Launches Art Initiative to Combat Litter

Local business owner and runner Jeannine Luby, a committed member of the Scranton community, is taking action to combat litter and raise awareness about environmental sustainability through art. Inspired by the Swedish practice of “plogging,” where runners pick up litter during their workouts, Luby began collecting trash on her runs in northeastern Pennsylvania last year. Driven by a desire to make a greater impact, she reached out to local artist and AFA Gallery Director Theresa O’Connor to bring her vision to life.

With the support of a Lackawanna County Arts and Culture grant, and the administrative backing of Maureen McGuigan, Director of Arts & Culture for the county, along with Scranton’s Recycling and Safety Coordinator Christopher McClatchy, Luby and O’Connor are spearheading ReSTart Scranton—a unique initiative to reduce waste and foster the creation of sustainable art. The project encourages community members to pick up litter during their daily routines and transform the found items into creative artwork.

The grant, which funds this effort, has enabled ten local artists to be commissioned for the creation of works from litter collected during a community clean-up event in early March. Each artist will receive a stipend and can sell their pieces at AFA Gallery. In addition, the grant allows county residents to submit their own sustainable art for the exhibition, with the entry fee waived. Artists can find submission details here: https://www.artistsforart.org/callforwork.

The ReSTart Scranton Sustainable Art Exhibition will be open from March 28 to April 26, with a special interactive art installation during the First Friday event in Scranton on April 4. At this event, attendees will have the opportunity to engage with a bird’s nest installation made from found materials and contribute messages to the Earth by adding their own notes to the nest.

The ReSTart Scranton project also includes a Facebook group where community members can stay updated on upcoming events, learn more about waste reduction, and get inspired to create their own sustainable art.

For more information about the ReSTart Scranton initiative and upcoming events, visit the official Facebook group or reach out to the AFA Gallery.