Paint the Park, was a collaboration between myself and Broward 211. Funding for this project was in part from an individual artist’s grant from The Broward Cultural Division as well as all of our wonderful sponsors including The City of Fort Lauderdale, Home Depot and the Friends of the Library.
A community art day and resource fair was held on Saturday, September 14, 2013, to work towards the unification and beautification of a local community. The event took place at Oswald Park, 2220 NW 21st Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311. Residents from the community and all of South Florida were invited to work with me to paint two murals and share in the creation of the art to renew the face of their community.
As part of the event, a resource fair spearheaded by Melinda Pollard of Broward 211 was also planned. It was designed to connect the community with resources and information about cultural organizations, social services and businesses that are available to Broward County residents. The day included live entertainment, food trucks and a kid zone.
A Community Night served as a kickoff to the Paint the Park event and took place on Thursday, August 8, 2013 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at Osswald Park. The night included an exhibition of children’s artwork from The Paint the Park Student Art Contest. Children from grades 6 -12, were invited to create a piece of art depicting images that they would like to see as part of the final designs for the two murals. The evening also included a talent show, food, music, raffles, and a great opportunity to find out how to be a part of the fun at the Paint the Park event.
One of the goals of this project was to involve different people who may not encounter each other in their daily lives. We included those with different socio-economic backgrounds, various age groups and ethnicities to network together; their common ground being ties to this community. The residents came together to share their stories, history and be involved to help beautify, connect, and revitalize this municipality. The direct participation with input by the residents who live and work in the area, to create the art works, has encouraged neighborhood cohesiveness, replaced blight with beauty and has instilled a sense of pride in the community. The Resource Fair helped to bring awareness to the residents about the arts, cultural and social resources that are available in Broward County, It provided a chance for these organizations and businesses to network, bridge together and find creative ways to support one another and the community, fulfilling another goal of the project.
This community is part of 33311, the most underserved zip code in the State of Florida. The area was in need of revitalization and unifying. The Paint The Park Event was a huge success and fulfilled its goals of bringing the community together to paint the murals and to be educated about the arts, cultural events, social services and business resources that are available in Broward County. The two murals funded by this grant, featured a theme with a message to Stomp Out Violence and Choose Peace!
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