National Green Arts Corps

There is so much to report on in the community mural world. Every week I get an email or phone call regarding a new project or program that seeks to employ the visual arts in healing and mending the word in some way. Here are some highlights.

A project by Rima Malallah called Mural Mural on the Wall has transformed the streets of Amman Jordan.

Kristine Khouri for The National

Last May in Indianapolis Eli Lilly employees painted a 1,230 foot long mural designed by artist Patrick Viles. Get out your tape measures - this is now considered the world's largest paint-by-number mural. This project illustrates a growing trend in service and art related projects.


The National Campaign to Hire Artists to Work in Schools has started a facebook page.
You can read more about this exciting national organizing initiative on APInews.

Kiff Gallagher has put together the Music National Service Initiative. Their site is hosting a conversation entitled “Who Wants an Artist Corps”. You can participate in the conversation here.

Consensus seems to be building for a national work program that includes the arts in a Federal One /WPA/CETA type project. How about developing a program that integrates artists and cultural workers into a Green Jobs and Growth stimulus package? Our future lies in developing programs that are specific to bioregional culture. The ideal National Artists Corps would be one that embodies the idealism of the Obama era, one that funds grassroots and neighborhood based organizations and artists and takes Cultural Democracy into consideration. In this model artists work with Green Job Training Centers to identify areas for innovation and collaboration in all areas of the arts.

The possibilities are endless, and artists have this unique opportunity to advocate for a program that recognizes their unique creative sensibilities and skills.

Your homework tonight: Dream up your most amazing, empowering green participatory arts project that will help revitalize the economy.