Murals R Us

February 25, 2014

Last year President Obama’s administration launched a national dialogue focused on wellness and mental health. As part of this dialogue Philadelphia city officials – especially those who work in the behavioral health field – invited The Mural Arts Program to become a focal point by working to co-create with the larger community a mural based on this theme of wellness. We were pleased to become the “hub” for this newest mural planned for Center City.

The creative process that Mural Arts employs is meant to engage the widest possible spectrum of stakeholders. The process began several weeks ago with the introduction of Mindfulness Meditation (led by George Hoffman) just after our Thursday Breaking Bread meal, and with a wellness-themed art project (led by Jeane Cohen) during the Tuesday mail service. In the spring James Burns, the muralist for the project, will begin working with our guests on some small temporary murals that will be placed on walls throughout Center City. Finally, during the summer these budding muralists from our community will begin the design of the larger public mural. The Mural Arts team is already scouting the Center City area looking for just the right wall for this art installation.

The Mural Arts team is a welcomed partner at BSM and Breaking Bread. We are excited to be part of another project that will grace a previously blank canvas right here in our neighborhood. We will update the progress of this effort throughout the year.