AkzoNobel Leads Fourth Let’s ColorNashville Project at McGavock High School

 AkzoNobel will lead its fourth Let’s Color community project in Nashville on Wednesday, July 22, bringing together Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell, Metro Nashville Public Schools, McGavock High School, Hoover Paint and community volunteers. 

Let’s Color is AkzoNobel’s signature global community initiative, through which the company contributes its paint and coatings expertise, products and employee volunteerism to transform shared spaces and create lasting community impact. 

For this year’s project, AkzoNobel is contributing 16 gallons of its International brand protective coatings to transform a wall near McGavock High School’s auditorium. Designed by a McGavock High School art teacher, the mural will celebrate the school’s academic programs and career pathways while helping students picture the many possibilities ahead. 

“We’re proud to lead our fourth Let’s Color project in Nashville and work alongside Mayor Freddie O’Connell, Metro Nashville Public Schools, McGavock High School, Hoover Paint and volunteers to bring this mural to life,” said Jeff Jirak, AkzoNobel’s North America president and global managing director of Powder Coatings. 

“We’re also donating AkzoNobel’s International protective coatings in a variety of colors from our research and development facility. These high-performance coatings will help protect and preserve the mural so it can inspire students and the community for years to come. Let’s Color shows what is possible when we bring together our people, products and partnerships around a shared purpose. We’re honored to be part of that effort and look forward to another successful project in Nashville.” 

Since Let’s Color launched in 2009, AkzoNobel has supported more than 250 community projects and donated more than 100,000 liters of paint in 25 countries. More than 100,000 community members have gained skills through the initiative, and more than 2,000 AkzoNobel employees have volunteered their time. 

“As our Nashville families prepare for a new school year, we’re excited to come together with AkzoNobel, Metro Nashville Public Schools, and our community to create a mural that’s reflective of our students, staff, goals, and aspirations,” said Mayor O’Connell. “Once the paint dries, the McGavock High School mural will welcome students and represent a safe place where everyone can dream big, find inspiration, and belong.” 

AkzoNobel’s research and development team created custom paint tints that connect to McGavock’s different academies, making color an intentional part of the mural’s story. The 2 

mural illustrates the range of careers students can pursue, including opportunities in health care, technology, aviation, public safety, the arts and skilled professions. Volunteers will bring the design to life through a collaborative paint-by-number process. 

“We are incredibly excited to partner with AkzoNobel and the Mayor’s Office on a project that reflects the very best of McGavock High School and our community,” said Bruce Jackson, executive principal of McGavock High School. “This mural will be more than a work of art, it will be a lasting symbol of opportunity. It will showcase the outstanding academic programs, career pathways and hands-on learning experiences available to our students while celebrating the power of community partnerships. When our students see this mural, we want them to be reminded every day that their future is full of possibilities and that an entire community believes in their success.” 

The careers represented in the mural also reflect the range of skills and talent needed by advanced manufacturing companies. AkzoNobel’s manufacturing operations employ engineers, operators, maintenance professionals, supply chain specialists and technical experts. The company’s broader business also includes careers in procurement, sales, marketing, human resources and other professional fields. 

Many of the skills McGavock students develop through the school’s academies directly align with the skills manufacturers need to operate, innovate and grow. Through the mural, AkzoNobel and its partners hope students will see how their interests and educational experiences can lead to careers and industries they may not have previously considered. 

Rendering of the mural community volunteers will begin painting July 22 as part of AkzoNobel’s fourth Let’s Color project. Designed by a McGavock High School art teacher, the mural celebrates the school’s academic programs. Rendering courtesy of McGavock High School. 

AkzoNobel’s previous Let’s Color Nashville projects have helped revitalize downtown following a disaster, created a welcoming cafeteria at the Nashville Rescue Mission and celebrated the history and culture of Jefferson Street through a sidewalk mural. The McGavock High School project will continue that commitment by investing in Nashville’s next generation. 

Rendering of the mural community volunteers will begin painting July 22 as part of AkzoNobel’s fourth Let’s Color project. Designed by a McGavock High School art teacher, the mural celebrates the school’s academic programs. Rendering courtesy of McGavock High School. 

Event details 

What: Let’s Color Nashville community project When: Wednesday, July 22, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Opening remarks: 10 a.m.

Where: McGavock High School gym, 3150 McGavock Pike, Nashville, Tennessee

Who: Mayor Freddie O’Connell, Metro Nashville Public Schools and McGavock High School leaders, AkzoNobel executive leadership, Jeff Jirak, Hoover Paint representatives and community volunteers

Media opportunities: Opening remarks, mural painting, interviews with project partners and photographs and video of volunteers bringing the mural to life