Murals are an opportunity for everyone to come together. We create inclusion by providing opportunities for individuals with special needs to work side by side with community members. Young adults with special needs are employed as Muralism Crew members and Artists to prepare the murals. Other nonprofits that provide services for kids with special needs (Villa Esperanza, John Muir High School, Los Angeles Unified School District, Exceptional Children’s Foundation) are invited to paint with us. The murals are opened up to the public as an opportunity for everyone to work together. Working alongside everyday people, our Artists are appreciated for their talents and gain a sense of purpose.
Murals are an opportunity for everyone to come together. We create inclusion by providing opportunities for individuals with special needs to work side by side with community members. Young adults with special needs are employed as Muralism Crew members and Artists to prepare the murals. Other nonprofits that provide services for kids with special needs (Villa Esperanza, John Muir High School, Los Angeles Unified School District, Exceptional Children’s Foundation) are invited to paint with us. The murals are opened up to the public as an opportunity for everyone to work together. Working alongside everyday people, our Artists are appreciated for their talents and gain a sense of purpose.
Village Arts and Muralism are proud to announce to the great success of the creation of the mural that sits on the Village Arts building that overlooks the parking lot to our community arts center. Village Arts rents a building from the Faith Presbyterian Church of Valley Village. The building is quite old and drab looking. The mural which was designed by Muralism.org celebrates the arts education work that Village Arts provides to the families in Valley Village and also celebrates the whole community of Valley Village/North Hollywood.
With Muralism.org's guidance we held a paint day in the Fall of 2023 where kids and parents came out to help paint the mural. It was a fun day of not just painting, but where local musicians and bands played along with various other community orgs joining the event, such as the boy scouts, Neighborhood council and more. It was great fun. Later that evening Village Arts held a band night in the theatre.
A ribbon cutting event to celebrate the creation of the Mural then took place on Aug. 19, 2023 where many local politicians honored the mural creation. Muralism.org, Village Arts and the Faith Presbyterian Church of Valley Village were given honors by the Los Angles City Council.
A hardy Muralism/Village Arts welcome to our two student group members: Jillian Pirruccello and McKenna Wilson. Both are freshman in HS and grew up in Valley Village participating in all the local activities - sports, school events, Girl Scouts and long time participants in many of Village Arts musicals since their early days in elementary school at Colfax. We are thrilled they have agreed to come aboard to help with our planning of our mural.
Super excited about the potential mural at Caldwell Hall/Village Arts. What a beautiful tribute to our wonderful little village/neighborhood!
Here's a photo of the wall that is need of a stunning mural that Muralism.org will create!!!
Village Arts would like Muralism.org to paint a mural on the south side of its arts space that is located on the campus of the Faith Presbyterian Church of Valley Village. It is our hope that a mural would be created to reflect the unique and wonderful community home that our program offers as well as the other organizations that share the church’s campus. The area to be painted is a large building wall that overlooks the church’s parking lot and is visible from Colfax Ave. (the main avenue to the elementary, middle school and high school) and the cross-street Addison St.
Village Arts is a community-based arts education non-profit that serves the Valley Village, CA community. We have been in operation for over 10 years serving the local schools and many of the families in the area. In addition to Village Arts education work, the church’s campus is also the home for two preschool programs: the Volunteers of America and the non-profit Valley Village Montessori. The campus also provides a space for many community organizations including the Neighborhood Council, both The Boys and Girls Scouts of America and many more. This has happened because the pastor of the church decided to widen its mission by taking a more active role in serving the very community where it is located.
The ongoing goals for Village Arts includes the following:
• Engage the community
• Update and beautify our space
• Raise awareness of our programs
The painting of a mural would address these three goals:
1.) The community can come together to support the painting and unveiling with a fun event—food trucks and music in the parking lot
2.) The wall becomes a beautiful and inviting work of art that all will see as they arrive at Village Arts and as they walk by the campus
3.) The mural will offer greater recognition to the all of the work that is being done on the campus to those in the community that might not know of the various offerings that occur everyday.
Some prep work is needed before we could paint, such as the removal of gutters and damaged air conditioning ducts and some other items. All in all there will be a HUGE “before and after” difference once the mural is completed.
Mural themes would include: Village Arts (theatre, music, dance and visual arts), Valley Village--strong, inclusive community, education, creativity, diversity, children and families.
This is exactly the kind of project Village Arts/Faith Presbyterian/Neighborhood Council would like to see happen to further solidify our strong partnerships and ties within our amazing village!
Village Arts will spend the seed money ($500) that will be used to pay for any funds needed to help supplement the initial grant should Muralism.org receive it. Prep work for the wall, Items such as food for the "paint party" that would take place, other supplies, etc.
Regarding promotion, our plan is to have an event around the paining of the mural and we will be using all social media and direct emails to make that happen. We will also ask for our group members and friends to engage throughout the app.
I'm part of a team working on fixing up/making our neighborhood the best it could be, and one part of this is moving forward with an awesome wall mural