“Make the world a better PLACE”

By Laryssa Morales

    Tucson, Arizona is one of the oldest continually populated areas in North America (Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau, 2012). For this reason, Tucson has been through a plethora of hardships. Many neighborhoods, for instance, the 29th street area includes five neighborhoods, Julia Keen, Myers, Alvernon Heights, Roberts and Naylor, which have been dishonored with graffiti, litter, and high crime rates. Tucson youth from the Jim & Vicki Click (JVC) Boys & Girls Club, which is located in on 29th and Columbus, spoke up and reached out to their local community leaders about neighborhood issues and what the people living around the clubhouse believe is important. From fall 2009 to spring of 2012, they collaborated with the Tucson Arts Brigade (TAB) to make Tucson a better place. TAB used the metaphor People, Land, Arts, Cultural, Environment (P.L.A.C.E.) which was inspired by the Tucson Pima Arts Council place campaign. 

    The first project TAB worked on in the 29th Street area was a beautiful mural “Inside the Overpass”, unveiled on May 9th, 2012. Community members from the area were educated on neighborhood history, design and how to draw by the Tucson Arts Brigade teaching artists. With this knowledge everyone came together and painted this exhilarating work of art that can be enjoyed by all of Tucson. Although this beautiful mural was a great start, the youth seek to inspire civic engagement and responsibility, not only in the 29th street neighborhoods but throughout Tucson.



    TAB came up with providing positive community-building programs that engage everyone in beautifying the places where they live and work. Over the past three years this project has involved 85 youth ages 8-17, to describe their challenges, hopes and aspirations through artistic designs. P.L.A.C.E. is a project designed to have every small voice heard. It is also a part of a citywide initiative to beautify Tucson neighborhoods while reducing graffiti and providing an alternative outlet for young artists through public art. These young artists draw pictures and write short poems describing a number of themes ranging from bullying, graffiti and littering to eating healthy and protecting our desert eco-system. 

    TAB decided to transform these small pieces of artwork into posters so the entire city of Tucson can witness all the concerns, ideas, and solutions our young generation has in beautifying and making our community a better P.L.A.C.E. These posters have been installed on the Sun Tran buses, which commute throughout the Tucson region. In addition, all of the posters have been displayed at various locations around the city, and are available for sale to raise funds for TAB’s community-driven youth art programs.

    The P.L.A.C.E. project was a successful way to send out messages from the youth of our community. It awards the youth the power to express themselves and to be heard. It gave the children the opportunity to exit a stressful life and enter a world full of art and happiness. TAB has listened to these children and has provided positive solutions to assist our youth today in becoming tomorrow’s future.

Posters can be seen below and/or ordered on our website; www.tucsonartsbrigade.org

Creating PLACE in East Tucson

Nicole, 10 years old "Don't Litter"

The PLACE program has resulted in the creation of dozens of works of art that will be exhibited throughout Tucson starting in May 2012. The art describes the challenges, hopes and aspirations of youth and adults in the 29^th Street area. The project is part of the 4R Neighborhood Coalition’s multi year efforts to improve life in the area. The coalition  includes five neighborhoods; Julia Keen, Myers, Alvernon Heights, Roberts and Naylor. Economic development has been a recent priority, in the past crime had been the number one concern but after nearly a decade of neighborhood activism the crime rates finally came down enough for people to take a breath. TAB was called in as part of the seeding efforts – to provide positive community building programs that engaged everyone in beautifying the places they live and work.

By Macielle, 11 years old

Our work with youth over the past few years has been informed by the concept of transformation, and we use the overpass, the site of our second mural, as a metaphor. Destination – Transformation – Portal – Arrival can be interpreted in a number of ways. We have danced and sung this idea, created artwork and poems. Perhaps the most important part of this analogy is that we ourselves are changing, and growing as a community of learners and neighborhood stewards.

Students have selected a number of themes to work on ranging from bullying, graffiti and  litter bugs to eating healthy and protecting our beautiful and unique desert eco-system. We had a number of visitors come and speak to us about neighborhood issues and what was important to people living in and around the 29^th Street area.

Macielle, 11 years old "Protect our Delicate Environment"

 

We have been working with TAB Marketing Director Jodi Netzer on transforming these artworks into posters and banners. The 11 x 17 posters will be rolled out on Suntran buses over the next year. Pat Richter, now community outreach director for Suntran, also came to visit our class to show examples of the current ads. This was nice because Pat was instrumental in running the 29^th Street Weed and Seed Coalition for years. We talked about what worked and what didn’t. It was impressive to see how visually advanced the students in our program are.

We are now making final touches on our artwork. PLACE students are going back and looking into their portfolios to finish old artworks, some are writing about their ideas, others are starting new posters. We are really excited to see these images as they transform into posters.

Stay tuned to this blog to see the final artworks, or join us May 9 for an exhibit and celebration of our work this school year.

This project has been made possible by support from the Puffin Foundation, Pantano Christian Church, Pro-Neighborhoods, The Tucson Pima Arts Council PLACE initiative funded by the Sorros and Nathan Cummings Foundations.

New Mural Project Starts April 6

29^th Street Spring Community Mural Project

Inside the Overpass

When: Every Wed. Starting April 6 – June 30

(Every Wed. 3-5pm April 6 – June 29 * PLUS * Every Thurs. 3-5pm June 2 – June 30)

Where: Boys and Girls Club

(1935 S. Columbus Blvd. At the corner of Columbus & 29^th St.)

Who: Limited to Twenty Youth, Ages 10 -17

To Register: Call Corey at the Boys & Girls Club (520) 300-5715

or TAB Mural Arts Program by email at ArtBrigade@aol.com

This fantastic project will tell the amazing stories of youth living in the 29^th Street area.

This is a special FREE program, and students MUST commit to the entire session.