The
Amphi neighborhood has the second highest amount of criminal damage violations
such as graffiti and the highest amount of juvenile violations, narcotic
violations, motor vehicle thefts, and offenses against families and children.
Domestic violence, gangs, tagging, and drugs are all substantial issues
surrounding this neighborhood and the children growing up in it. Mostly, this
is a challenge for the teens and younger children who can easily be influenced
from peer pressure both in and outside of school and home. Unfortunately, many
of these teens end up going to a juvenile detention center that usually results
in dropping out of school without getting a GED. Each child that becomes a
victim to this lifestyle is a tremendous loss for the neighborhood and the
Tucson Arts Brigade is taking action to reverse this growing trend.
The
Tucson Arts Brigade’s (TAB) has been invited to help this neighborhood by
creating a mural at the Woods Library, which is in the heart of the
neighborhood. This library is located at 3455 N. First Ave. Tucson, AZ 85719.
The surrounding streets of the Amphi neighborhood range between First Avenue,
Fort Lowell Road, Oracle Road and Roger Road. This is a vast area in the Tucson
community. Cultural development projects such as these are none in the Amphi
neighborhood. There are abandoned properties, junked cars and unkempt yards and
homes making living environments quite hazardous, especially for young
children. Many of the streets are very desolate with many dirt lots, no paved
sidewalks, and walls surrounding homes and businesses are filled with graffiti.
The TAB wishes to have the children and teens participate in this mural to help
them get involved and help build healthy, safe, compassionate and vibrant
neighborhoods, increase literacy, reducing violence and beautify the places
they live and work.
A
group of 25 youth ages 9-21 are being be led through an 12-week course.
Students are tasked with the complete process of designing, creating and
installing a work of public art. The students are learning about the history of
murals, the emerging and exciting field of community cultural development as
well as the fundamental elements of art and principles of design. TAB teaches
the students about the project first and what they intend to accomplish both
for the mural itself and what it is meant to represent in the community. All of
these kids are incredibly creative and have minds that are always open to
discover something new. TAB likes to try to use those characteristics to have
the students do something positive in their lives. Symbols of hope, love and
strength are instilled in each unique mural TAB paints.
 |
| Painting on the Amphi Action mural started in May, 2013 |
These
murals change the lives of the students that participate in the projects and to
the rest of the people living in the neighborhood. The Tucson Arts Brigade
hopes that everyone feels a sense of ownership to and pride in this mural and
that it becomes a destination and source of inspiration for years to come. We
are looking for your support to help this plan can become a reality in the very
near future. Any little donation can help make a difference in a young
student’s life!
Community partner organizations include; Amphi
Neighborhood Association, Pima County Public Library, Amphi Community Action
Group, Good Neighbor Ventures, United Way, C-Corp Mentoring Program and Trees
for Tucson.
Thank you TPAC PLACE IV on behalf of the Open Society
Institute for support of the Amphi Action Mural Project and this after
school program for youth ages 8 - 21
This project meets Thursdays 5:30- 7,
Feb 21 – May 30 at Woods Library 3455 N First Ave., Tucson, AZ
To enroll or for
more information about this and other programs email ArtsBrigadeMAP@gmail.com
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