Working with area High Schools, the St Louis Arts Chamber has developed a mentorship/internship program for young people interested in the arts applied in real world job skills. As part of our many community projects, students participate in any phase of the project of interest to them as well as get insight into the coordination and skills necessary to include creativity in real world projects.
Our first mentorship student from Chelsea Center at Webster High School was interested in murals, having completed several indoor murals at her school. She also wanted to use her skills to make a positive social change. Working with her teacher, we developed an extensive curriculum based upon national standards for her final semester to create a mural along the Hodiamont Tracks as part of our Art Heals Violence Project. But the mentorship went way beyond the art techniques necessary to create a mural. The student spent time:
- learning the history of the neighborhoods,
- developing a sense for the art preferred in the area,
- creating several designs,
- working with other muralists and the residents to obtain feedback on her design,
- understanding the issues of an exterior concrete retaining wall to determine the best materials to use,
- understanding Material Safety Data Sheets and their impact on the project and community,
- obtaining property owner agreement to install the project,
- applying for the permit to install the project,
- writing a mini grant (including budget) to the Arts Chamber to fund the installation of the mural,
- coordinate volunteers and
- present her project to stakeholders in the community and the school as well as participate in a Missouri Humanities workshop held in the neighborhood.
After graduation, the student is coordinating the actual installation of the 9 foot by 270 foot mural.
While learning written and verbal professional communication, developing relationships with key stakeholders, participating in workshops, identifying needs for the materials and which best meet those needs, creating a budget to include in a written narrative to request funding, coordinate volunteers and actually install the project, her goal is to change this:
To something like this:
