“Threads of Belonging” is a new temporary public art installation planned for South Sacramento, featuring an 8-by-30-foot handwoven mural that reflects the textile traditions of Palestinian, Filipino and Hmong communities.
The mural will be installed at the Valley Hi–North Laguna Library in spring 2026 through a partnership between the Office of Councilmember Mai Vang, who represents District 8, the City of Sacramento’s Office of Arts and Culture and local artists from Culture through Cloth.
“In moments like the one we are living in now, projects like “Threads of Belonging” matter deeply,” said Councilmember Vang. “Art has the power to heal, bring people together, and remind us of our shared humanity. This is the kind of public art our neighborhoods deserve. It reflects the resilience, cultural pride, and strength of District 8.”
The project is supported by the City but is not City-funded. The participating artists secured partial funding through a grant from the National Academy of Design’s Abbey Mural Prize, with the District 8 Council Office serving as a partner on the application.
Additional funding has been raised through community contributions, and fundraising efforts for installation costs are ongoing. The grant and community-supported funding support Culture through Cloth and the artists’ work exploring themes of belonging, migration and shared cultural traditions in Sacramento.
To support placement of the mural on City property, the Office of Arts and Culture is partnering with the District 8 Council Office through the Art in Public Places program. City staff have provided planning, permitting and licensing support for the installation.
“While involving the community in the creative process, the building-scale artwork will literally weave threads of color and culture together on a library exterior wall,” said the City’s Art in Public Places Manager Donald Gensler. “This type of artist-driven public art, displayed thoughtfully to the public, highlights the diverse cultures and talents within Sacramento and educates library and community audiences through creative, vibrant, artistic and cultural expression.”
In addition to the mural, the project includes a series of public workshops and open studio sessions designed to engage community members in the textile traditions reflected in the artwork.
Opportunities to participate
Culture through Cloth is hosting public workshops at the Valley Hi-North Laguna Library from February through April that reflect the traditions represented in “Threads of Belonging.”
Sessions include Hmong paj ntaub appliqué with Pachia L. Vang on Feb. 21; Ilocano kusikus weaving with Jamie Cardenas on March 14; and Palestinian tatreez embroidery with Ren Allathkani on April 11.
In addition, Culture through Cloth will host open studio sessions beginning in early March and continuing through April, as needed. Due to limited studio capacity, participation will be available through an application process on the organization’s website.
“Traditional textiles protect and heal,” said Pachia L. Vang, a Hmong textile artist involved in the project. “This project is not only a celebration of our rich textile traditions, but also of the diverse landscape that makes up Sacramento and who we are. The workshops we host are more than hands-on learning experiences. They are opportunities to make space for slowing down, to be still and to create in community with one another despite all the different places we have come from.”
Information about the project, workshop dates and registration is available at culturethroughcloth.com/threadsofbelonging.
This program is neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Sacramento Public Library.
