Creating a Community Mural Toolkit

CREATING A COMMUNITY MURAL

A powerful toolkit about mural making that can be used to transform public spaces, communities, and youth.

CREATING A COMMUNITY MURAL

Contents of this publication cannot be reproduced or distributed without the express permission of the publisher

Written by: Christina Mallie with contributions from Nadia Fazal and Laurie Reyman Illustrations by: Christina Mallie Design by: Mohammed Elnour

Edited by: Rhiannon Black with contributions from Lynn Sanders Bustle

www.colorsofconnection.org [email protected] Table Of Contents

INTRODUCTION ...... 7

STEP 1: DISCOVER “WHY?” ...... 8 STEP 2: IDENTIFY THE “WHO” ...... 11 STEP 3: ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY 19 STEP 4: RECRUIT THE YOUTH ...... 25 STEP 5: TRAIN THE YOUTH ...... 27 STEP 6: PREPARE THE MURAL DESIGN ...... 30 STEP 7: PREPARE THE SURFACE FOR PAINTING ...... 35 STEP 8: THE GRID METHOD ...... 37 STEP 9: PAINT THE MURAL...... 42 STEP 10: COMPLETION ...... 44 STEP 11: CELEBRATION ...... 46

BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES ...... 48 - 54

CONCLUSION ...... 55

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 57 Create what you can imagine. INTRODUCTION

Murals are powerful. They can positive- community desires to promote in society ly transform public spaces, act as cata- as opposed to what they desire to lysts for new ideas, and even play a role prevent from occurring. Thus, this model in shifting individual and community values the creation of positive, assets-fo- perceptions. Murals can turn a new cused, and solution-driven imagery. page in history for a community—mark- ing a change from a troubled past or In CC’s experience, the mural projects renewing a past that has been forgot- create opportunities for youth to devel- ten but has the capacity to strengthen op expressive capabilities and build and empower the community. social capital while acquiring new skills. CC has found that these projects can This toolkit presents a step-by-step promote wellbeing, foster a sense of guide to engage youth and their commu- place, build local strength, nurture nity through the collaborative process connections, and strengthen community of creating community murals. The leadership and resilience. toolkit is based on the experiences of Colors of Connection (CC)—a nonprofit CC has worked primarily with popula- organization that works with marginal- tions in Sub-Saharan Africa that are ized, vulnerable, and/or conflict-affect- impoverished, underdeveloped, hierar- ed populations, primarily in Sub-Saha- chical, and conflict-affected. Because ran Africa. this model was developed specifically for these types of communities, adapta- When working with youth and their tions may be needed when applying this communities, CC has found that a collab- model to other types of communities. orative and community-formulated approach to the arts is an effective This toolkit outlines steps for selecting means of communication and communi- participants, identifying public spaces, ty capacity building. CC has developed collaborating with community members a community mural making model. This and leaders, training participants, model aims to address developmental designing the community mural painting, and psychosocial issues (at the individu- and executing the final product. It is al and community level) and provide a designed to support any person who platform for visibility and voice for has the desire to engage in mural marginalized groups. In this CC project, making as a method of community-gen- youth paint murals while being guided erated expression. The toolkit can be by input from a community council of used by people who have basic drawing local leaders. For communities dealing skills or by those who have no art back- with trauma, isolation, depression, and ground at all; however, we recommend hopelessness, as well as social issues that an artist be available to support associated with poverty and conflict, the process. The steps in the toolkit can these murals create a vehicle through be useful for those who want to explore which they can be seen and heard. a particular issue in their community, or for those who have created murals in During the mural making process, the past but are looking for a collabora- community leaders and youth address tive community-led process. issues affecting the wellbeing of their community and identify solutions that Our hope is that this toolkit will help are then depicted in the murals thereby you to create murals that express the projecting a positive path forward for voices of the youth and their community, the community. At the core of CC’s bonded relationships, and a positive approach is to create and display vision for the future. imagery that represents what the 7 STEP 1: DISCOVER «WHY?»: Why Do You Want to Make a Community Mural?

8 The ﬁrst question you have to ask yourself is: “Why do I want to make a community mural?” After asking yourself this question, brainstorming, and writing down some responses you will be able to dig a little deeper and discover what kind of impact a mural could have on your community.

People are drawn to create community murals because they may want to:

CREATE a new form of public knowledge about where a community wants to head into the future concerning (issue)

Show everyone that YOUTH can have a positive impact in their community because the public (and the youth themselves) may think that the youth in their community are

(negative adjectives)

TRANSFORM the because it is (name of a public space or building)

(negative adjective) and it could be (positive adjective)

Draw attention to the ISSUE of that is affecting the community. (drought, health, sexual violence)

CONNECT the and the (names of ethnicities, religious groups, etc.) (names of ethnicities, religious groups, etc.) who live in the same community but are isolated from each other and do not get along.

Publicize youth’s talents and abilities in the ARTS because (names of youth artists) are talented, but they do not have a place to exhibit and share their creative abilities.

9 Any and all of the above could be answers to the question: “Why do I want to make a community mural?” The wonderful thing about a community mural is that it can accomplish a multitude of positive things at once. If you need to discover some of the potential ways that a mural can positively impact a community and are not sure where to begin, take a moment to consider the community’s history, current events, and any of the important (but perhaps overlooked) issues that exist in the community.

For example, at CC we began our ﬁrst project by asking: “What difference would a community mural make for people in the small post-war town of Harper, Liberia?” We knew that in Harper, burnt out-shells of buildings could serve as physical reminders of a painful past. With this in mind, we wondered: “How can these buildings be transformed into something beautiful and hopeful? How can they be used to represent possibilities for a more positive future?”

10 STEP 2: IDENTIFY THE «WHO»: Who will be Involved? YOU (the facilitator)

Who will be Involved ? You will facilitate the process of making the mural by training a group of youth, creating a community arts council, and helping these The project will involve three to four different kinds of mem- two groups to communicate with each other. As a facilitator, it is bers: you, a community arts council, the youth, and project important for you to provide the assistants (optional). Each member will have a role to play: necessary tools for the project and to organize and manage the entire process. Your role, however, is to bring the voice of others forward—to enable the youth and community arts council to be the primary creators of, and decision makers for, the mural project. As a facilitator there will also be times when you will need to provide direc- tions and make decisions; for example, when there is limited knowledge on a particular topic area of interest, or limited skillsets that are necessary in order to move forward. In these moments, you need to work towards holding the interests of the community arts council and youth group in your mind above your personal interests or preferences.

You don’t need to be a profession- al artist, but if you are not trained in drawing or painting and lack these skills, you will want to partner up with someone who has this skillset. You will need to enlist his or her help when you teach art skills to the youth and when you need to 11 12 make creative decisions. 13

Note: In our projects, we ask the Tips for Identifying Community Note: In our projects, we typical- community arts council to identi- Community ly hire assistants between the Project fy the themes for the murals ages of 18--25 who are from the because we have found that Arts Council Members same community as the project’s these leaders have a broader Arts location. We have found that the Assistants societal-level perspective about assistants, like the community the issues that are most impor- It is important to identify community leaders who are represent- arts council, help to ensure tant and relevant to address in Council community investment in the Several (2--5) young adults who their community; in contrast, the project. Their local knowledge will assist you with project activi- youth tend to have a more ative of the diversity and complexity of the community. can help to make the content of narrow perspective that relates lessons relevant to participants, ties. It is best to select project more specifically to their individ- A diverse group of communi- When looking to find a diverse and representative group of and their mastery of the local assistants who are just one age ual lives. Thus, allowing the ty leaders who are brought language can enable us to bracket (a group of people community leaders to come up together to advise on the pro- community leaders, we suggest that you seek out those who: communicate with participants having approximately the same with the overall themes (as they and community members with age) older than your youth par- relate to the entire community ject while ensuring full commu- ease. Additionally, their under- ticipants. This will allow them to and broader environment) nity participation and invest- standing of cultural norms and tends to be most appropriate. ment. The community arts coun- Are recognized by the community to be the most prominent traditional or informal lead- beliefs can help us to work more provide insight to the youth The youth are then able to cil will decide the general ers (elected or non-elected). A few examples would be the mayor, county education effectively and appropriately about next plausible life steps draw on their own personal themes for the murals, and the within the community. Project and to serve as positive role experiences in relation to these officer, or senator. youth will then further develop assistants are not frequently models. Project assistants can themes in such a way that other mentioned in this toolkit, as their youth and community members and interpret these themes also lend an aspect of sustaina- Represent diverse groups. For example, the community leader of a marginalized neigh- role is to support the facilitator. bility to the project if you will not can understand and relate to. If artistically. However, keep in mind that in all you wish to give the youth a borhood, a member of a group that offers support and protection to vulnerable groups of your activities as a facilitator be staying in the community for greater leadership role, it is such as children, the homeless, or young mothers. you can (and should) utilize and the long term. They can acquire possible to have the youth draw on the knowledge and skills skills and knowledge during the choose the themes, and to have of your assistants. For example, if the community arts council act project and potentially use these Are most respected by the community, as in a priest or a star football player. your project assistant is an only as an advisory body. in their community once your pro- artist, he or she might know artis- ject is completed. tic techniques that will be Reside and have influence in the location where the mural might be painted. For exam- relevant and exciting for the ple, a property manager or an influential leader in the neighborhood. youth to learn; or if your assistant knows the local community well, he or she can help you You know and trust to have a positive influence on people around them and who would locate and interact with commu- look out for the good of others in their community, such as a midwife or a shopkeeper. nity leaders of interest. Tips for Identifying

Represent the interests of the youth, as in a youth group leader. Project Assistants

In our projects we consider several criteria in selecting project assistants. We seek out those who:

• Are just one age bracket older than your youth participants. • Have knowledge and skills in the arts. • Are sensitive and respectful to those younger than themselves. • Could experience personal growth by taking on a greater role of leadership in their community. 14 15 16

Note: In CC projects, we have STEP 3: ENGAGE with the Youth never paid youth or community arts council members to partici- pate. It is an educational oppor- Community Arts Council Participants tunity that is offered at no cost in contrast to other educational opportunities through the A group of youth who will government that are expensive learn new art skills and work and unaffordable to most (espe- collaboratively to create a cially the individuals and commu- public mural with you and the nities we work with). We also community arts council. believe that the unpaid partici- Tips for Identifying Youth pation of youth and community arts council members strength- ens and encourages civic engagement and self-efficacy, Keep in mind that the focus of your project may help you to decide which which are valuable skills to devel- youth to engage for the project. In our projects, we use some of the follow- op. In our view, participating in ing inclusion or exclusion criteria in order to identify youth participants the projects without pay helps who will get the most out of our program. We seek out those who: individuals to move forward in their own lives while contributing • Are vulnerable --- who are experiencing, or have experienced, hardships to their community’s develop- in their lives. ment. On the other hand, • Have a particular interest in art. payment can also be an appropriate way to acknowledge • Have some free time to learn new skills. youth and community members • Could benefit from being in a social environment. for the time they put into the • Are known to be excluded in decision-making processes in their community, project, specifically in contexts in or who are stigmatized/discriminated against in their community. Note: The which people are taking time away from other paid work more inclusive and diverse the group is, the more the mural will be able to opportunities in order to partici- reach and speak to the entire community. An exception to this would be if pate. Paying youth participants you are addressing a particular community issue that relates only to a spe- can also give them a real world cific sub-population within a community. experience in having a job as well as help them in their future • Are old enough to focus on one task for several hours. They can be as search of employment. young as 10 years old, but we have found that youth who are 12 years old or older are best suited for these types of projects.

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