Groundswell uses public artmaking to engage and educate youth and community
Groundswell, the Brooklyn-based arts organization which uses public art displays such as murals to educate and engage city youth, will host a community painting day on Thursday, July 21, at PS 373 - Brooklyn Transition School in Bedford Stuyvesant. As part of its Summer Leadership Institute (SLI), the nonprofit is excited to announce the creation of its 500th mural this summer.
Groundswell was founded in 1996, by a group of New York City artists, educators and activists based on the belief that there is something unique and powerful about the collaborative artmaking process, combining the sanctity of personal expression with the strength of community activism. The organization's flagship program, the Summer Leadership Institute, is a summer job training program for up to 100 youth. Seven teams of youth spend seven weeks working with professional artists and community-based organizations, learning job skills and creating public art for their neighborhoods.
During the community painting day, participants are invited to paint alongside the youth artists of SLI. This year's summer program is centered on the topic of immigration - and the SLI crews are at work to bring justice and equity to the public spaces with every stroke of their paintbrushes.
Interested participants should bring their work clothes and their love for painting to PS 373 - or to any of the other following three locations in Brooklyn:
- GROUNDSWELL'S 500TH MURAL @ PS 373 (Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn), Thursday, July 27, 9am - 4pm, 185 Ellery St,Brooklyn, NY 11206
- TOMPKINS HOUSES (Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn) Thursday, July 27, 9am - 4pm, 212 Throop Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11206
- BROOKLYN MUSIC SCHOOL (Fort Greene, Brooklyn), Thursday, July 27, 9am - 4pm, 126 St Felix St, Brooklyn, NY 11217 (NOTE: you will not be able to paint on the wall at the site, but there will be art and painting activities set up for the day)
- FOOD BAZAAR SUPERMARKET (Bushwick, Brooklyn), Thursday, July 27, 9am - 4pm, 21 Manhattan Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11206
Interested volunteers who cannot make it to the community painting days are welcome to join the dedication ceremonies at the end of August. Participants who would like to bring groups of six of more are asked to email an RSVP.
