This summer, RiseUP has the honor of working with youth across Connecticut to create new murals in Stamford, Manchester, Hamden, Hartford. The youth are part of RiseUP's Creative Leadership Program which gives youth exposure to real life public art opportunities, connection to Connecticut's top professional muralists, workforce development training, mentoring, and a safe and productive space to spend their summer. The youth are taught the full end-to-end public art process from design conversations with the client, prepping the wall, and painting the mural. The youth are led by professional teaching artists in each community and other professional artists that come in to share their art journey. This fall we are launching additional youth programs in Bridgeport and Putnam, CT.
About Stamford Murals Program:
Stamford Mural's director and lead artist, Alissa Siegal, partnered with the Boys and Girls Club of Stamford to work with 15 youth ages 8-18 to paint a mural on the exterior of the Club's building. The youth got to meet the super talented and Stamford native artists Lauren Clayton and Don J. This program was funded thanks to the Fairfield County Community Foundation. The mural will be completed by the end of August 2022.
About Manchester Murals Program:
Youth in Manchester's Creative Leadership Internship Program have been putting in hard work this summer creating multiple murals at different community centers across Manchester. The interns are led by artist Emida Roller with support from Deka Henry, Sapphina Roller, and Jaii Marc Renee. This group of interns is RiseUP's second cohort of youth with 4 of the interns from the first cohort being invited back as "youth leaders." This Creative Internship Program is funded by Manchester's Youth Department and youth interns are paid through Capital Workforce Partners.
About Hamden Murals Program:
Building off the success of our collaboration with Manchester's Youth Department and Capital Workforce Partners, RiseUP launched our Creative Leadership Internship Program in Hamden, Connecticut this summer. In partnership with Hamden's Youth Services Bureau and lead artist, Marsh, we are completing two murals under the Rail Trail path on Putnam Ave. Set to be completed in mid-August 2022, these murals will feature beautiful colors, shapes, and positive messaging.
About Hartford Murals Program:
In Hartford, Charter Oak Cultural Center's summer youth program hired RiseUP to lead a mural at Parkville Market. RiseUP muralist, Julie Bergeron, is leading the group to paint a mural celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King's "Beloved Community." The mural will feature poetry the youth developed earlier this summer with Poetry on The Streets program led by Melanie Faranello. The mural will be completed on August 12th, 2022.
