The Walls Project - Community Programs by Helena Williams

THE

ALLS PROJECT Community Programs 2016

HISTORY OF THE WALLS PROJECT The Walls Project is a collaborative effort between stakeholders in the business, creative arts, and community development sectors in Baton Rouge. What started as a grassroots project in 2012 has grown into a regional public art campaign fueled by generous donors and volunteers creating over 30 murals through local partnerships. The Walls Project bridges the gap between the artistic and business communities in order to accomplish not only city beautification but also economic development. Commerce Creates ART Creates Commerce. This is The Walls Project’s mantra, which has helped rally corporate donors and formed strategic partnerships to fund all of our mural installations to date. The invaluable support from sponsors and municipal leaders has truly lifted this project off the ground and onto the walls of Baton Rouge.

MISSION//VISION//VALUES Mission Statement Revitalize communities by implementing our mural, education and arts workforce training programs to catalyze cultural and economic redevelopment. Vision Statement Become the leading resource for public art and cultural community development in South Louisiana by leveraging our strategic network of organizations, businesses, and creatives both local and global. Values Statement The Walls Project believes that: • Public art improves the aesthetic quality of life for residents and their local economy • Commerce Creates ART Creates Commerce • Cultural progress and community engagement are the essence of our programs • Global solutions aligned with local needs is an essential component in effective community revitalization

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS Murals ................................................................................. 5

#10WordStoriesBR ................................................... 13

Installations are completed by juror-selected professional artists as well as collaborative community paint days with local schools, churches, and civic volunteers.

#10WordStoriesBR is a poetry and mural initiative that allows residents to submit ten-word poems that are painted in mural form on various buildings throughout the city.

The Futures Fund ......................................................... 8

#BikeTheWalls ............................................................ 14

The Futures Fund is a workforce development program designed with the mission to create digital, literary, visual, and performing artsbased entrepreneurial opportunities for youth 14-18 years old.

#BikeTheWalls is a monthly guided biking tour for the community to learn about the artistic processes of the Walls artists while cruising through the city’s ever growing public art gallery.

#MyWall .......................................................................... 10

Neighborhood Improvement Projects ............ 16

#MyWall is an upcycle youth art program where community volunteers pick up political campaign signs around the city and in partnership with local schools, and art teachers turn these signs into individual “mini murals” painted by youth artists.

Hand-Painted Signage ............................................ 12 Hand-Painted Signage program is reviving the tradition and appreciation for the art of hand crafted sign painting for local businesses. The Walls works with local business owners and artisans to design and replicate their logos into a one-of-a-kind representation of their brand.

Neighborhood Improvement Projects harnesses the power of thousands of Walls volunteers to partner with local businesses and organizations to collectively transform the landscape of communities. The Walls signature community event is the Dr. Martin Luther King Day of service every January in collaboration with 50+ partner organizations.

Program Results ........................................................ 18

THE WALLS PROJECT TIMELINE

2012 Wall #1

Iconic 10 Story Baton Rouge Blues Harmonica

2013 2014

Murals

Neighborhood Improvement Projects

Hand-Painted Signage

The Futures Fund

2015

#MyWall

#BikeTheWalls

2016 Dr. Martin Luther King Day Of Service 4

#10WordStories

MURALS The Walls Project mural process is turn-key. Our collaborative approach with the local community allows our partners to select from a pool of 50+ juried artists and work with an experienced production team to create public art works ranging from the murals to large-scale sculptures to LED lighting to printed vinyl building installations.

Step #1: Site-visit Step #2: Establish project budget and administer request for proposals (RFP) to our artists Step #3: Concept design session with building owner, tenants, and/or sponsor as a design committee Step #4: Review artist submissions, select artist and design concept Step #5: Finalize art direction, budget, time-line, and agreement Step #6: Public announcement Step #7: Prep wall and site (power washing, priming, and erect scaffolding or boom lifts) Step #8: Paint mural Step #9: Launch mural marketing plan Step #10: Mural reveal

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Below is a step-by step overview of The Wallsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; mural painting process which takes 2 weeks to 6 months depending on the size and scope of the project. Please review the information, and we look forward to creating, with your support, a mural that will be a source of local artistic appreciation, discussion, and pride in the community for years to come.

How to get involved: - Sponsor a mural - Donate a wall to paint - Participate in a community mural painting day

ÂŠ2016 The Walls Project

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MURALS

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THE FUTURES FUND

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Preparing Louisiana Youth for Arts and Technology Based Jobs. The Futures Fund is an initiative spun out of The Walls Project to catalyze economic development and neighborhood revitalization in high-need communities. A workforce development program designed with the mission to create digital, literary, visual, and performing arts-based entrepreneurial opportunities for youth 14-18 years old. Through our efforts, traditionally impoverished areas will have the opportunity to emerge as regional entrepreneurial hubs by more effectively activating the talent in those communities. This is accomplished by taking advantage of expanding industries, like technology, and leveraging these activities for community revitalization. The Futures Fund runs a training program which connects students to revenue-generating opportunities or to individuals that can model the pathway to such opportunities, with focus being on the digital and visual arts. The program focuses on middle to high school students that face struggles associated with high poverty rates. Students are taught by paid professionals every Saturday over eight-weeks, learning vital 21st century skills including critical thinking, problem solving, and money management in addition to the hard contentspecific skills. How to get involved: - Underwrite a program location in Mid City and North Baton Rouge - Provide paid opportunities for our creative students (photographing events, building apps & websites) - Offer internship positions at your company 8

The Futures Fund instructors are paid professionals who emphasize the mechanics of the craft as well as the practical application in the workforce. These business leaders are well versed in the entrepreneurial skills necessary to compete in their respective industry and have experience working on global level.

After completing our training programs, youth will be directed to paid opportunities to demonstrate mastery of their arts discipline. Studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s active participation will result in being able to articulate the importance of coding, or photography and how to apply these skills in the business world. ÂŠ2016 The Walls Project

THE FUTURES FUND The Futures Fund visual arts program teaches photography to high school students on the path to college and/or a career in the visual arts. The Futures Fund provides free Saturday instruction by paid professionals and volunteers for young adults to learn the necessary skills to become a professional photographer.

ÂŠ2016 The Walls Project

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The Futures Fund digital arts program is teaching coding in order to put middle and high school students on the path to college and/ or a career in technology. Every Saturday, The Futures Fund provides free opportunities for young adults to learn the necessary skills to be next generation of digital designers, mobile developers, and software engineers. Under the guidance of paid professionals and software engineer volunteers, students are expected to attend all sessions due to the instruction being offered in a lock-step method over the entire course of the program.

#MY WALL

Now anyone can create public art!

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Problem: No city, including Baton Rouge, has access to enough available building walls for all the budding youth artists in the community who may wish to contribute to the growing public art scene. Solution: A student-based public art campaign that uses recycled political campaign signs that are turned into individual “mini murals”. This allows youth to participate and have a voice in the public art scene on an accessible scale and with the guidance from their art teachers and local artists. How it Works: The Walls Project collects old yard and political signs and then primes them and delivers them to Baton Rouge area schools along with a public art mini-curriculum, Our local EBR art teachers help guide their students to create their own “Wall”to create public art. Students will participate in a month long public art curriculum designed by The Walls Project to help students learn about public art and the importance of art making. The Goal: Educate more students about the impact the arts can have in communities and have them participating in contemporary, impactful community art (already in 15 EBR schools). The Result: City wide #MyWall installations are put up in the community with student’s unique take on current affairs with public art. How to get involved: - Know a school that would be interested in participating? Connect them with us! - Volunteer and help us collect and prime signs - Donate or help underwrite this program

#MY WALL

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HAND-PAINTED SIGNAGE

The Walls Projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hand Painted Sign Program is reviving the tradition and unique craft of sign painting for local businesses. There is a growing market and appreciation for antique hand lettered signs. The Walls Project works with local business owners and artisans to design and replicate their logos into a one-of-a-kind representation of their brand. How to get involved: - Know a business that needs a sign? Let us know. - Donate to help underwrite this program

ÂŠ2016 The Walls Project

HAND-PAINTED SIGNAGE

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#10WORDSTORIESBR

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Baton Rouge arts-based nonprofit organizations, Forward Arts Inc. and The Walls Project, are launching #10WordStoriesBR – a poetry and mural initiative designed to allow residents of Baton Rouge to submit ten-word stories that speak to their lived-experience in Baton Rouge. Citizens of all ages are encouraged to submit their ten word stories. A panel of six acclaimed poets will determine which of the submissions are the most compelling. The selected ‘10 Word Stories’ will be hand painted on various buildings across the city by The Walls Project’s 50+ artists. All stories not selected for murals will be put into an anthology for community members to engage with. How to get involved: - Write and submit your #10WordStoryBR to forwardartsbr.com - Donate or help underwrite this program

BIKE THE WALLS

How to get involved: - Come bike or jog with us! - Donate or help underwrite this program ÂŠ2016 The Walls Project

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Take a two-wheeled cruise or jog around Baton Rouge and learn about The Walls Projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ever growing public art gallery. Bike The Walls is a monthly community event bringing people together to learn about and support the local creative community currently arising in Baton Rouge. Riders will get to enjoy The Walls Project murals up close, learn about the artistic process, how the murals are completed, and hear stories of the people, places, and themes of each mural.

NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS Neighborhood Improvement Events 2015, 2016, 2017

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By harnessing the power of thousands of Walls volunteers who partner with local businesses and organizations, they are able to collectively transform the landscape of communities. The Walls Project’s signature community event is the Martin Luther King Day of Service every January. This day of service is a city wide collaboration between 50+ organizations and thousands of community volunteers who come together for one day to participate in projects that positively impact our community. For MLK Day of Service 2016, “Murals on Main” volunteers painted five murals alongside local artists and helped clear 10 blocks of blight in Mid City BR. Beyond being a day of community service, it’ s a day to celebrate and come together over impactful work, enjoy local food and talent and generate unity and dialogue in our community. Help us make this big impact event even larger in 2017 along Gus Young Drive in partnership with the Office of Mayor President, Mid-City Redevelopment Alliance, City Year, Star Hill Church, and St. Paul’s Church. How to get involved: - Donate or help underwrite this city wide day of service - Volunteer with us for MLK Day or bring a group of volunteers! - Have a building in mind that needs a mural? Let us know.

NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

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PROGRAM RESULTS Futures Fund students generate thousands in local economic development.

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While Baton Rouge is experiencing tremendous growth and economic development in many parts of the city, the needs of Mid-City and North Baton Rouge are widely known still today. With high school students struggling to reach their full potential in relation to their peers across the city, many youth are spending their Saturday’s training with The Futures Fund to develop skills for a career in the arts. While we have far to go, we have seen tremendous results in developing job opportunities as well as hard- and soft-skills training for these youth. After only year one, our students are generating thousands of dollars in the local economy and acquiring both hard- and soft-skills to prepare them for the workplace.

The Walls Project Murals Receive 1.4 Million Views Per Month 500000 Weekly Impressions

400000 Weekly Impressions

300000 Weekly Impressions

100000 Weekly Impressions

0 Mural #35

Mural #21 Mentorship Academy 26,192 Weekly Impressions 40’ x 83’ 339 Florida St. Baton Rouge, LA

Mural #30

Mural Prints Mural#19 #19 Giraphic Giraphic Prints Building Building Transformation Transformation 56,761 Weekly Impressions 10’6” x 22’9” 4556 Government St. Baton Rouge, LA

Mural #29

Mural #18 #iammidcity 56,761 Weekly Impressions 4726 Government St. Baton Rouge, LA

Mural #26

Mural #13 Untitled I & II 36,210 Weekly Impressions 1655 Government St. Baton Rouge, LA

Mural #24

Mural #22

Mural #21

Mural #19

Mural #12 We Stand Together 157,277 Weekly Impressions 13’ x 78’ 5141 Greenwell Springs Rd. Baton Rouge, LA

Mural #18

Mural #10 Baton Rouge Blues Harmonica 422,890 Weekly Impressions 103 France St. Baton Rouge, LA

Mural #13

Mural #6 BR Blues 76,238 Weekly Impressions 12’ x 56’ 3347 Government St. Baton Rouge, LA

Mural #12

Mural #10

Mural #6

Mural #1

Mural #1 Cinq Ombres 34,671 Weekly Impressions 25’ x 102’ 340 Florida St. Baton Rouge, LA

Mural #22 BREC Blueberry Street Park 26,437 Weekly Impressions 1870 N. Ardenwood Dr. Baton Rouge, LA

Mural #30 “Imagination is More Important Than Knowledge” 48,285 Weekly Impressions 1658 Government St. Baton Rouge, LA

Mural #24 Love Our Community 58,369 Weekly Impressions 8421 Scenic Hwy Scottlandville, LA

Mural #35 MLK Day of Service Mural on Main #5 157,585 Weekly Impressions 16’ x 81’ 1101 Main St. Baton Rouge, LA

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200000 Weekly Impressions

Mural #26 Love Our Community 38,619 Weekly Impressions 1109 Highland Rd. Baton Rouge, LA Mural #29 CACRC 22,870 Weekly Impressions 1400 Main St. Baton Rouge, LA