The Art Connection's "Engaging Communities" Mural Project
The Art Connection has partnered with artist Tova Speter and the New England Foundation for the Arts to offer a unique community-based mural program for local non-profit agencies. Funded in part by a grant from the Fund for the Arts, a restricted fund of the New England Foundation for the Arts, three murals will be created this year throughout the Boston area. Mural sites include the Children's Advocacy Center of Suffolk County in Boston, Roxbury Youthworks Inc - Female Focus Initiative in Dorchester, and Newton Community Service Center in Newton.
The process involves a "Community Input Event" in which all local community members are invited for a large brainstorming session to generate possible themes and concepts for the mural. In this way the project engages the organization and its community in the collaborative artistic process, and the selected mural painters are then able to work together to condense the ideas generated at the Community Input Event into a cohesive mural concept. All involved become a part of the design process and contribute their drawings, research, and opinions to the project.
The active participation of local students, staff, volunteers, and clients at the agencies allows for development of self esteem, pride, and empowerment as they are able to express themselves through art with an end result that will be enjoyed by all those who pass by. The sessions are led by Tova Speter with help from Anyahlee Suderman; and participants with little painting experience are given direction, taught basic painting techniques, and encouraged to share their strengths and styles.
The mural projects average approximately 6 weeks of sessions including designing, priming, and painting; and are celebrated publicly with a Mural Dedication Event.