Innovative after-school Hip hop program teaches technology skills, history and community outreach.
The Mural Art Project's mission is to educate, empower and inspire youth through the arts. Founded in 2001, the Mural Art Project offers youth development programs in East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Redwood City. The Mural Arts Project employs socio-economically disadvantaged teens to research, design and install large public art murals.
Through previous support from ZeroDivide, The Mural Arts Project created History though Hip Hop: a novel after-school music program that uses Hip Hop culture to teach History, English, and creative writing skills. The curriculum combines technology, community activism and Hip Hop to provide a stimulating and engaging learning environment.
The Mural Arts Project has served over 250 youth who have produced one CD; written, recorded and performed six original songs and created 17 murals – one for every school in the local district.
Challenge
The Mural Arts Project strives to transform the perceptions of East Palo Alto as a place plagued by crime and violence to a vibrant community known for its innovative and community-inspired art and culture.
The Mural Arts Project sought to generate more interest in their inspirational art and projects within surrounding communities while deeply engaging youth in developing technology skills and entrepreneurship.
Project
ZeroDivide provided The Mural Arts Project with a $50,000 grant to establish a dynamic virtual tour of the public art murals installed in East Palo Alto and East Menlo Park. This online showcase was designed to include imagery, narrative, and interactive audio and video communication elements.
Results
Mural Arts Project worked with community leaders, members, and youth to research and develop a new digital mural concept for installation on a suitable public site.
The website, currently in beta stage, features interactive maps that identify public mural locations, 360? tours of murals, time laps videos, digital storytelling, original music and a voicethread feature that captures viewers’ audio commentaries. Students have developed skills in applications, programming, digital media production and online marketing.
The site is set to go live in Spring 2007.
