Anna and I stopped by Bushwick Impact on Central Avenue last Sunday, to check out the collaborative efforts of Arts in Bushwick volunteers, The United Way of New York City, local children and families, BI staff and parent advocates, to create a community mural and safe garden play space for visitors to the center. The unveiling of the mural and garden party will take place on Sunday, June 8, as part of the Bushwick Open Studios & Arts Festival.

Bushwick Impact is a neighborhood-based family resource center that targets parents with children zero to eight, providing leadership development, child development supports, family literacy and family support that include information and referrals to services that meet whole family needs. We spoke with Chloe Bass, who is on the Board of Directors of Arts in Bushwick, as well as Activities and Events Coordinator at Bushwick Impact. Chloe, who organized the Arts in Bushwick volunteer team, told us about the plan for the space, which includes creating both raised bed and container gardens, as well as a safe paved play area, that the children who visit the center can enjoy year-round. Frank Cohn, Associate Director of Bushwick Impact, told us that volunteers from United Way, one of the foundations which supports BI, would be sending a troop of volunteers later in the week to help build a new fence, clean-up the area, plant flowers, and help paint the mural.

The mural, which will occupy two large facing walls in the garden, is a collaboratively designed work of art, created by volunteer artists and a group of children who visit the center regularly, who were asked to visually reflect on the experiences they have had there. Sarah Valeri, one of the mural artists from Arts in Bushwick and practicing art therapist, noted that the images in the mural seem to vary depending on the age of the children drawing them: "The younger children drew many images of mothers with their babies, while the older children drew pictures of what they want to be when they grow up, or images with social messages like ‘kids can change the world.’” Sarah and Steve took the children’s drawings and integrated them into a coherent composition, which tells a compelling and relevant visual story. We are looking forward to seeing the finished product at the unveiling this Sunday!

Community and Sustainability Discussion, June 8, 2-3pm (BOS listing)
Bushwick Impact Mural and Garden Party, June 8, 3-5 pm
69 Central