YO S.O.S and the Crown Heights Community Mediation Center are excited to invite talented, creative, and experienced teaching artists to apply to lead an anti-violence mural project with summer youth interns in July/August 2017.
Who We Are
The Crown Heights Community Mediation Center is a unique neighborhood institution that works to improve community problem-solving, collaboration, and inter-group relations in Crown Heights and Central Brooklyn. The Mediation Center runs many initiatives including Youth Organizing to Save Our Streets (YO S.O.S.), an anti-gun violence youth empowerment program. YO S.O.S. engages high school age youth to use their voices to advocate against gun violence and promote peace, healing, and community building. Participants build skills in public speaking, teamwork, and campaign implementation while strengthening their understanding of issues including social justice, violence, trauma and self-care, and conflict resolution.
The Project
We are seeking an artist who is excited to work with a group of ~26 YO S.O.S. summer interns ages 14-19 to create an indoor mural for the Mediation Center office. The wall size is approximately 13’3” W x 9’5” H. The youth will work with YO S.O.S. staff in advance to discuss possible themes, words, colors, and symbols that are significant and representative of the YO S.O.S. program. After this pre-planning, the artist will join the group for a workshop to discuss ideas and develop a joint vision for the mural design. Next, the artist will prepare a rough draft to submit for youth and staff feedback, and then develop the final draft of the mural design. After this, the artist will prepare the wall, spend four workshops painting with students, and then return for touch-ups to ensure a professional final product.
Responsibilities Include:
(1) Four hour workshop with youth
(4) Four hour paint days with youth
Providing a rough sketch of the mural design and incorporating feedback to create the final design
Preparing the wall before youth begin painting
Completing touch-ups to the wall to ensure a professional quality final product
Providing all necessary materials
This is estimated as a total of 35 hours of work
Priority will be given to artists who meet the following qualifications in addition to their artistic merits:
Familiarity with Crown Heights, Bed-Stuy and Central Brooklyn
Prior work experience with adolescents and youth of color
Passion for core themes of anti-gun violence advocacy, healing and self-care, and youth empowerment
Dates:
This project will take place during afternoon hours in July or early August with some flexibility for the artist’s schedule. Must be available for the complete project.
Compensation:
The Mediation Center will provide the selected teaching artist with $2,000 in total, which includes time and materials.
To apply please send the following to yosos@crownheights.org:
A resume and cover letter
Link to your work/portfolio
Please visit www.crownheights.org/yosos to learn more about us.