LA Murals & Mentorship Program Will Help At-Risk Youth

Kids arrested for tagging now have the option to work with art mentors on murals in Downtown Los Angeles, thanks to LA Murals & Mentorship Program an innovative concept developed by All City Mural Endeavor (ACME), a project of Los Angeles Downtown Arts District Space (LADAD Space).

Juvenile first time offenders who self identify as emerging artists are assigned by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office to apprentice for professional muralists, gaining hands-on experience in developing and painting a mural for the city. In addition, apprentices complete training in drawing and basic artistic skills with professional artists, followed by internships in the Art Department at Warner Bros. and/or other Hollywood studios for film and television projects or at other major LA Arts Institutions. The program closes with apprentices completing a smaller arts project in his/her home community under the supervision of  LADADSpace.

While the program is already underway with support of Councilman Jose Huizar and City Council District 14, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, and LA businesses, art galleries, non-profit organizations, restaurants, civic and legal –there’s a way that YOU can help this exciting, community- and art-oriented program help even more at-risk youth.

All you need to do is click this link show your support for the LA Murals & Mentorship Program at Good.com. It’s free–you aren’t required to give a dime!) The project with most votes will receive $100,000 from the Goldhirsh Foundation via Good.com–and we at Cartwheel Art think this project is one with a long term benefit for the city and its youth.  Our founder, Cindy Schwarzstein is on the ACME board of directors,  and she is excited about how the LA Murals & Mentorship Program will impact the city:

By replacing tagging with murals, and by turning kids who are taggers into artists, the LA Murals & Mentorship Program enhances the lives of everyone in the city. The cycle of imprisonment is broken, juvenile offenders are taught valuable skills, give back to their communities, and the city is beautified.

Voting closes on September 16. You can only vote once–and when you do please share and keep sharing–this innovative and life-altering project!

 

Those assigned to the mural mentorship program receive on the job training, one-on-one arts instruction, and an apprenticeship–all with professional artists, as well as a paid internship with one of the biggest film and television studios in the world, and an opportunity to create art in their home communities.  Working artists get a chance to give back to youth and underrepresented communities, the city gets murals in place of destructive tagging, and we all get new, beautiful and unique public art!