Artists Call: Neighborhood Mural Festival April 13-15, 2018

Calling All Artists! Neighborhood Mural Festival April 13-15, 2018

DEADLINE: Monday April 2, Midnight

Artists (and groups) of all styles and experience levels are invited to work alongside Tucson Arts Brigade (TAB) and residents of the historic Sugarhill and Jefferson Park Neighborhoods to gather stories and transform them into  murals.

Join us for this festive annual celebration of murals, food, community, music and more!


 

Want to get involved? Here’s how to apply:

Learn about the neighborhood: See the next page for brief history of this area and check our blog for updates about upcoming neighborhood story sessions and online resources:

Themes: Neighborhood stories, culture, residents, and traditions including those of Tucson’s African American community

Submit your mural design and application DEADLINE: Monday April 2, Midnight
To be considered, you must submit the following to TABmuralfest@gmail.com

1) Send 1 JPEG (maximum 5MB) of the preliminary sketch(es) of your mural design.

2) Write a short answer to the following questions:

-- Why are you interested in creating a mural in this neighborhood? What is your connection to or understanding of this area?
-- What knowledge, experience, skills, or strengths (artistic or otherwise) do you have that will help prepare you for this type of project? How can you  contribute?

3) Submit all Materials to:  TABmuralfest@gmail.com

Or By Surface Mail to: TAB/Mural Fest P.O.Box 545, Tucson, AZ 85702

Mural fest planning committee and neighbors review designs and offer feedback.


4) Attend the Neighborhood Story Circle:

Monday, March 26 at 6 PM - 8 PM 

Donna R Liggins Recreation Center, 2160 North 6th Ave. Tucson, AZ 85705

Details and What to Expect:

• Artists submit final revised design for approval by early April 10.
• Painting will happen Thursday April 12- Sun April 15, you will be assigned your wall upon check in.
• Most walls are 8' x 10'
• Neighbors and the public are invited to celebrate and interact with artists the weekend of April 14-15. Murals must be completed by 9pm Sun April 15.
• Artists must cover their own costs and supplies, including travel and lodging though we will be fundraising to offset these costs as much as possible.
• Murals will be on cement walls lining the Bronx Wash, which runs east-west along Linden   St.
• There will also be several walls available in nearby Jefferson Park neighborhood,
• You get a cleaned wall as your canvas plus storage, water, and basic supplies from the Paint Station
• An artist’s Food & Hydration Station will be open throughout the Fest
• If you need additional time, special equipment or support please make note of that in your application.
• This is a grassroots effort and we will do our best to accommodate all  needs!

Background Information About the Area:

Sugarhill
Sugarhill is the historic neighborhood which now encompasses the El Cortez Heights, Feldmans, and Northwest neighborhoods. The area was a home to many from Tucson’s African-American community and is an area with a diverse history and living culture.  Systematic housing discrimination, or redlining, meant this was one of the only areas where African Americans and other people of color were allowed to buy homes in Tucson until the passing of the federal Fair Housing Act of 1968.

The demographics of the area have shifted and changed over the years and we hope your murals will capture something about the past, present, and future of this diverse community.  To begin learning, try this 2005 article from the AZ Daily Star: “Life less sweet in Sugar Hill: Dorms and renters put a new face on diverse neighborhood”

Sample stories from Sugar Hill (provided by Armando Vargas)

Sugar Hill Water Tower

239 E Elm ST (construction about 1948) former home of the Turner family, Dr. Turner
DDS, hosted at his home the African American Jazz players/musicians and other African American entertainers in the 1950's and 1960's because these entertainers were not allow to stay in the hotel/motels along Miracle Mile Strip and Drachman where they were entertaining -- Tucson Inn, Executive Inn, Hilton, etc.  Carlton and Carl Bowdry, father and son, before they both passed away five or more years ago, shared with me numerous names of these entertainers.  One of the names I can remember was Dizzy Gillespie.  The late Dr. Turner's son, Joel V., is also a DDS.  The son's former office was on the SW corner of Grant/4th AV.  I do not know if the son has a new dental office location.  A few of the Sugar Hill residents confirmed verbally the Turner family hosted these entertainers.

433 E Elm (1955, red brick, 3-bdrm) was acquired recently by M.A. Goodman.  According to a nearby neighbor, Mr. R.E. Wilson sold his home to Goodman.  Both Mr. Wilson and his adult son are ill and needed money for health expenses.  Wilson called Goodman directly rather than list the house with a realtor.

Jefferson Park Neighborhood
More info about the history/culture of the nearby Jefferson Park Neighborhood, at one point the northern edge of Tucson can be found here: www.jeffersonpark.info

Click here to read “Weaving Art into Grant Road” along Grant road “Culture, History, and Environment” assembled by the neighborhood. 

For questions or more information please contact:  TABmuralfest@gmail.com

Civil Rights Artwork Available for Exhibit

This unique collection of paintings were produced by Tucson Arts Brigade and the Tucson Volunteer Center for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Art Service. The artworks were part of a popular education project conducted each year for the community at large at the Community Arts Lab. 

Over a series of workshops participants researched and learned together about the civil rights era. The artworks were then installed as backdrops inside a real bus. Volunteer Center staff developed a walk through theater piece to teach children about freedom summer. The paintings were featured by local news stations on live television in 2003 and 2004. The Volunteer Center housed the paintings until the center closed. The paintings then ended up in storage and finally returned to TAB in 2015. 

These works are available as a collection for display and educational purposes. Please contact TAB to learn how you can exhibit these works.

We are seeking a permanent home for this collection. If you have ideas about where this collection could be best housed please contact TAB.

Tucson Arts Brigade

info@TucsonArtsBrigade.com

Black Lives Matter
By Valeria K Hutchings
Size: 104” x 89”

Acrylic on Canvas

Bus Backdrop Art

Lead artists: Michael Schwartz (TAB), Danielle Fink Volunteer Center

Andrew Young
Size: 41” x 29”

Acrylic on Canvas
 

Emma Baker
Size: 41” x 29”

Acrylic on Canvas
 

Harriet Tubman
Size: 41” x 29”

Acrylic on Canvas
 

Ida B Wells
Size: 41” x 29”

Acrylic on Canvas


Percy Lavon Julian
Size: 41” x 29”

Acrylic on Canvas

I Am A Man
Size: 37.5” x 25.5”

Acrylic on Canvas

Sing for Justice

Size: 36” x 51”

Acrylic on Canvas

Learn More about Civil Rights Freedom Songs from Folkways Records

Civil Rights March 1
Size: 37.5” x 25.5”
Acrylic on Canvas

 

Civil Rights March 2
Size: 37.5” x 25.5”

Acrylic on Canvas

Civil Rights March 3

Size: 26.5” x 128”

Acrylic on Canvas

Rosa Parks

Size: Shaped Canvas 49” x 80”

Acrylic on Canvas
 This work was created by youth for MLK Day of Service. The work was featured live on local news, who reported back throughout the newscast and interviewed participants as the mural progressed.

Mural Arts * Community * Inspiration *Hope *Joy!

Dear Friends of the Tucson Arts Brigade,

After 20 years of grassroots organizing, the Tucson Arts Brigade (TAB) has facilitated a vibrant Mural Arts Program for the entire Tucson community - and for that, we thank you. Already images of our eight new murals have become Downtown Tucson icons and the buzz is going viral! With your help, TAB will be able to sustain this momentum and continue to partner with the City of Tucson, local businesses and others to give artists an opportunity to sharp0en their skills, deter graffiti, and get paid! What better way can there be for the Tucson Arts Brigade to support artists in our community?

Even though the City of Tucson Mural Arts Program has been a great success and we have supported the creation of new public art works, we still need your help to keep TAB alive and thriving. Now you can help conserve and grow this citywide outdoor gallery. Preserving these monumental murals is no easy task. It takes time, resources and the sort of long standing commitment Arts Brigade has demonstrated since 1996.

Click Here 2 Donate

Today is your chance to jumpstart the TAB Summer Fundraiser Campaign, so please donate today! Help us prepare for the next wave of mural requests by helping us raise the $50,000 in matching funds needed to keep stable infrastructure support for TAB. This Campaign will sustain our ongoing efforts to hire artists to work in schools, neighborhoods, and community centers.

For the inaugural series of the City of Tucson Mural Arts Program, TAB managed a public art selection process, and produced 8 murals by 10 artists and 20 assistants in six weeks! Funding support was provided by the Tohono O'odham Nation, Visit Tucson and others to make this dream a reality. As the program manager, TAB provided critical technical support, extra materials and administrative guidance that guaranteed our success in downtown Tucson. We worked in partnership with eight businesses that included: Benjamin Supply Company, Rialto Theater, Wig-O-Rama, Café 54, Century Link, John Wesley Miller and others who were involved in the selection of the mural design for their sites. Each mural has become a destination point and the business owners are thrilled with the high level of media attention and overwhelming community celebration of the eight murals.

Now, we are asking you, the friends of the Tucson Arts Brigade, to build on this tremendous momentum and help us vision the next round of murals on utility boxes and walls all over Tucson and beyond. Our new mural motto was inspired by TAB artists: "Get permission. Get paid!"

At TAB, our vision is to curate a city-wide outdoor gallery of professional murals for Tucson. We have grown a team of highly skilled and energized interns who have been assisting with our growth and provided invaluable support by assisting with logistics, organizing mural meetings and assisting with the TAB Arts Education program. This fall we will be presenting more murals, hands on visual arts workshops, public forums, mural films and more. Your donations make it happen.

You help fund it all: the art supplies, the curriculum development, and even the artists. Often TAB workshops are the ONLY visual arts instruction that students receive in the public schools. The waiting list is filled with more than 50 schools, neighborhoods and community centers that are requesting services from TAB.

TAB Summer Fundraiser Campaign Donation Request:

    • $20 will provide art supplies for one student participant.
    • $50 will purchase one gallon of paint for a Tucson mural.
    • $100 will keep help Conserve our growing inventory of murals.
    • $250 supports a TAB Teaching Artist for one afternoon in a Tucson school.
    • $1,800 helps underwrite one mural


Donate to Tucson Arts Brigade
By mail: TAB P.O.Box 545, Tucson AZ 85702
Online: http://bit.ly/YrIrJh
By phone: 520-791-9359

Thank you all for your kind words, encouragement and unyielding support for the last 20 years. With your support, we have made our dream of showcasing world class murals in Downtown Tucson come true. Keep your eyes open for more exciting TAB news coming soon!

With utmost gratitude,


Michael Schwartz
Director Tucson Arts Brigade
www.TucsonArtsBrigade.org • info@TucsonArtsBrigade.org • EIN: 86-0996770
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P.S. - Don't forget to visit our website www.tucsonartsbrigade.org to download the Mural Program Map, join our mailing list, subscribe to the blog, and stay connected for all of the latest and greatest TAB news!

P.S.S. - Tell all of your friends to tag #tucsonartsbrigade whenever they post an image of one of the Downtown Tucson Murals so that we can receive notice and keep our artists connected to and supported by TAB!

Downtown Mural Unvieling May 31, 8am

Nikki Glenn's mural features pollinators of the Sonoran Bioregion

If you've been downtown in recent weeks you have probably noticed that Arts Brigade Muralists are hard at work creating eight monumental works of beautiful art amidst the bustle of downtown development. The work is far from over. This is where you come in, as you admire and take pictures of these spectacular works we invite you to join the excitement by supporting Tucson Arts Brigade.











People who donate $100 or more will receive a special limited edition of eight postcards of the final murals.

These new murals represent the continuation of an exciting city wide mural program and collaboration with the City of Tucson as we continue to hire artists to work in schools, neighborhoods and community centers to beautify and unify the places we live and work.

Your support means we will be able to maintain our growing inventory of murals, and expand opportunity to even more artists. Employing fine artists to bring beauty and joy to our neighborhoods and centers of civic life is what Arts Brigade does best. So we hope you will join with us to celebrate this unique moment by making a donation to a very special arts organization.

We invite you to join us this Tuesday for a special event:

Downtown Murals: Artists Forum

When: Tuesday May 24, 6-7pm
Ages: All Ages, Free and Open to the Public
Where: Lower Level Meeting Room, Pima County Public Library, 101 N Stone Ave.

Lead Muralists and assistants will share their experiences of being muralists, painting downtown, building a mural movement life as an artist.

Presented by the City Of Tucson Mural Program, and management partner Tucson Arts Brigade.
Click Here for More Information

Students from various schools have been going on mural tours and getting a first hand account from muralists.

**As a supporter of the Tucson Arts Brigade we want to invitee you to a special unveiling ceremony for the Downtown Mural Project**

Tuesday May 31, 8am
Benjamin Plumbing Supply
440 N 7th Ave 85705

Ignacio Garcia's mural in progress at the Rialto Theater.

Isaac Carusos Mural on Scott Ave.

BBVN Tile Mosaic Mural Workshops Dates Set

 By R. Roati

As most of you know, BBVN is working with a Tucson artist to construct tile mosaic murals on the two low walls at the intersection of the Treat Walkway and Arroyo Chico. 

Due to the fabulous efforts of neighbors John, Linda, Matt, Emma Stapleton, Barbara O'Brien, Barbara Kuelbs, Justine Hernandez, Judd Ruggill, Susan Silverman, Mike Weingarten & Joan Thomas, all under the direction and expert assistance of Tucson artist Michael B. Schwartz, we built tiles, painted them, fired them, prepared the walls, applied thinset, and installed tiles, so that two of the wall sides are now largely complete.

We're going to turn now to the remaining sides to complete the tile mosaic mural installation! Thanks to Mary Wolfe for the donation of some beautiful tiles for this next phase! Please join us for two tile installation parties:

What: Tile installation party (north mural)
Date: Sunday October 18
Time: 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm

What: Tile installation party (south mural)
Date: Sunday October 25
Time: 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm

For both parties, please bring:
Old clothes
Rubber gloves
Hats, water, sunscreen
Any thinset tools you might have such as trowels and pans (we have some, but more is better)
A digital camera
Food and drinks
We'll supply the rest

You can just show up, or register by clicking here.

New Art School Opens this Fall

The Michael B Schwartz School of Art opens this fall with a new Visual Arts program for gifted and talented young artists Ages 11-18, on Saturdays from 1-6pm at the Citizens Artist Collective, Studio #13, 44 W 6th St. in downtown Tucson.

There are two semesters this fall, Semester 1: Saturdays, September 12 - October 24, Semester 2: Saturdays October 31 - December 12. The cost is $300. per semester or $50. per session. Scholarships are available based on economic need. All materials, field trip and snacks are included.


This program provides an in depth study of the tools, techniques and concepts in the media of painting, drawing and mixed visual arts media. Young artist are taught to harness their super powers and creative sensibilities. This practice fosters, guides and supports each students unique creative sensibilities in a professional working studio environment.

Students can register on line at www.MichaelBSchwartz.com.

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and must include a letter describing the students artistic goals and why you are interested in this program,  three sample artworks (jpeg) and a short portfolio interview.

For more information contact 520-791-9359 or visit www.michaelbschwartz.com

About Michael B Schwartz MFA 1991 University of Arizona, BFA 1988 Tyler School of Art at Temple University, is a visual artist whose creative practice includes the production of public art, murals, paintings, drawings, writings and teaching. His work with the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, Fleisher Art Memorial, International Council of Adult Education, National Audubon Society, Tucson Museum of Art, Teaching Artist Journal and Prescott College has propelled him to the top of his field. His many awards include the Puffin Foundation and Art Matters Fellowships. Mr. Schwartz is an internationally respected muralist and educator with a unique ability to assist students in clearing creative blockages so they can produce unique heart felt master works.

Welcome Back! Lets Paint the Town

Welcome back to students and summer travelers!

We have a delightful line up of workshops, projects and  opportunities for you to enjoy. From painting murals, mosaics and street art to potlucks, artists meetings and educational workshops there is something for everyone. We invite you to put on your paint cloths, grab a brush and jump in!

Here is how you can get involved;

Wed. September 9
General Arts Brigade Meeting: 6-8pm

Location: Citizens Artist Collective
44 W 6th St, Tucson, Arizona 85705
Studio #13 (enter from 9th Ave, near railroad tracks)
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Starting Sat. Sept 12
Saturday Art Program for Teens
1-6pm

Location: Citizens Artist Collective
44 W 6th St, Tucson, Arizona 85705
Studio #13 (enter from 9th Ave, near railroad tracks)


2015 Fall Semester 1:    
Saturday 1pm - 6pm, September 12 - October 24
2015 Fall Semester 2:    
Saturday 1pm - 6pm, October 31 - December 12

2016 Spring Semester 1:    
Saturday 1pm - 6pm, January 9 - March 12
2016 Spring Semester 2:    
Saturday 1pm - 6pm, April 2 - May 28

For Registration and Schedule information Click Here:

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Wed. September 16
Volunteer Orientation: Call for Volunteers, 6-8pm

Location: Citizens Artist Collective
44 W 6th St, Tucson, Arizona 85705
Studio #13 (enter from 9th Ave, near railroad tracks)



TAB is a grassroots association, run almost like a neighborhood association, that seeks to bring the joy of the arts to schools, community centers, neighborhoods and other places. Volunteers like you make this all possible. Tasks range from website management, data entry, editing, organizing art shows and organizing to helping out on public arts projects. There are tons of small and large tasks.
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Wed. September 30
Mural Arts Program Meetings
6-8pm

Location: Citizens Artist Collective
44 W 6th St, Tucson, Arizona 85705
Studio #13 (enter from 9th Ave, near railroad tracks)

Learn more about our Utility Box Pilot Program and city our proposal for a wide mural arts program to hire artists to work in hospitals, schools, community centers and neighborhoods. There will also be updates on Trash Container Call to Mural Artists.

From the Arizona Daily Star article on the Utility Box Pilot Program.

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Tuesday Oct. 6
US Department of Arts & Culture
Help assemble a time machine: Materials Potluck (bring some art supplies)
6-8pm

Location: Citizens Artist Collective
44 W 6th St, Tucson, Arizona 85705
Studio #13 (enter from 9th Ave, near railroad tracks)

This fall’s campaign is called #DareToImagine






For more information: Dare To Imagine!!

Emissaries from the Future will create Imagination Stations nationwide—popping up in parks, classrooms, galleries, conferences, farmer's markets and beyond for this large-scale act of collective imagination. Using creative tactics, Emissaries will engage people in envisioning the world they hope to inhabit and—looking back from the future—celebrating the work they did to get there. The resulting texts, images, videos, and more will be uploaded to an online platform, yielding a crowd-sourced vision of the future, inspiring art, policy, and community action.

Want to help get the word out? Use hashtags: #DareToImagine #TucsonUSDAC

Participants will plan on where and when to install mobile time machine and seek community input.

The Green Revolution

Youth in the Green Revolution project established an outdoor classroom, animating the area with a mural and gardens.

The Green Revolution
by Zoe B.

15 girls at Secrist Middle School in Tucson, Arizona joined a Girl Scout six-week series called “Green Revolution”. We learned about our global food network, and healthy eating. We celebrated the end of our series with a Take Action Project for the school.  Students partnered with the Tucson Arts Brigade, and Civano Nursery to paint a mural and plant a garden.

The colors and designs used in the mural each represent something meaningful. There is a shape with a tribal print on it, which represents creativity. The piece of art work also includes designs that resemble question marks to express the importance of asking questions.

The self-sustaining desert garden includes different types of cacti and aloe. The plants are small now but will eventually grow and blossom into something beautiful much like the children here at Secrist.

Ajo Street Art Mural Project

"Doors of Perception" by Valeria and Isabella H. (TAB youth artists)

TAB Mural Crew

TAB Community Art History Workshop

The Community Arts Gathering was a coming together of artists diverse in culture, discipline, and practice, held at the intersection of three nations – the U.S., the Tohono O’odham Nation, and Mexico.

A big part of the gathering included the Street Art Mural Project.  Muralists from Tucson joined with artists from throughout the border region helped to enliven an alley between two historic warehouse buildings in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, Ajo, AZ.

Artists spent a week painting murals throughout the day and night creating a festival like atmosphere in the once barren alley way.

Alleyway Before

One of the more spectacular moments were when a musicians circle grew to a new orchestra, and spontaneously a couple stared to dance as painters worked on their murals, townspeople mingled with guests from the conference, scaffolding a delightful table of food and beverages.

The alley came to life at night....

...and by day!

Kat's Mural, "Heart of the Desert"

These moments continued and Arts Brigade artists had a ton of fun working with the local high school students and their teacher. Students created a series of individual and group murals. TAB artists taught students the

Porter McDonald at work

basic tools and techniques needed to make a mural.

Flip, by Michael Schwartz

TAB artists worked with about 40 of the high school students. It started with meeting Miranda, she worked for several days on her design between her many other activities. It was clear that this little town was actually really active, and very social. Next we visited the local school and a mixed 6 - 12 grade classroom of some of the nicest young people one could ever hope to meet.

Teaching Artist Michael Schwartz offered a series of skill building lessons in perspective, scale and color and then we were off to paint murals . The next few days we worked on painting tools and techniques at the mural site. Youth from Ajo enjoyed watching TAB youth working, and were deeply inspired by their final mural. They kept asking “how did they do that?” What did you see? asked a teacher, “We saw them talking, making decisions as they painted” chimed in one.

Alice Glasser Mural

The creativity and excitement in Ajo was so inspiring and joy filled for all of us that we decided to continue the collaborations and build our relationships. Our next big events include a multi-media Community Build Day at the Dream Village, 939 S. 10th Ave. in June, and a Youth Arts Leadership gathering in late summer. Look for more details on this blog.

If you are interested in helping realize these projects we have regular organizing meetings. Email TMAP@TucsonArtsBrigade.org for more information. 

The Ajo Street Art Happening and Community Arts Gathering was hosted by the International Sonoran Desert Alliance www.isdanet.org