Feb 18, 2015

"Art is My Peace": Letters from Mural Arts Students

by: Carly Rapaport-Stein

Developing a strong expressive voice is one of the things we value most at Mural Arts.

In our Art Education program, that development takes shape in many ways – entrepreneurial adventures, environmental projects, in-class assignments, and mural design –  but the focus throughout each class is always on strengthening a student’s innovative capacity, whether it’s flexing their creative muscles or investigating ways in which to create positive civic dialogue.

Over the past few weeks, students in our Art Education Restorative Justice Youth program put their expressive voices to good use by writing letters to their city council members, sharing their own reasons for why and how art makes a difference in their lives. The letters open a window into the thoughts and aspirations of these talented students, and I’ve included a few of my favorites below.

Dear City Council Person,

Art is my peace. I hope that you will support Mural Arts Philadelphia so that my peers and I know that there is still something to look forward to. I enjoy learning more about art because I feel as though art is the root of all life.

Dear City Council Person,

I am writing this letter to support every type of art and mural. My name is Jeff and I do art myself. I put a lot of feelings and emotions into my drawing. It helps me stay calm and keeps me strong and makes me think different about other things.

Sincerely,

Jeff

Dear City Council Person,

I am writing this letter in support of Mural Arts Philadelphia. It helped change my outlook on art. Before I didn’t know that art can have such an impact on my life and I’m looking forward to getting help from this program. Once I get released I would love to keep going to this program and inspire other youth to try because it helped me. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter.

Sincerely,

Nathaniel

Dear City Council Person,

I want to thank art for being a source I use to express myself in a whole new way. Another step in life I can take to show my artistic skills that I never knew I had. Supplying me with skills I can carry out life with. This program made my stay at Saint Gabes way better than it used to be. I want to carry this out when I get released so my life can stay positive and productive.

Thank you,

David

 

Has art made a difference in your life? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

Last updated: Mar 21, 2016

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