In the neighborhoods of Thorncliffe Greenview and Cardel Rec South, Antyx has been working on two mural projects with youth aged 12 to 18. With the focus on community, connection and socio emotional learning, we want to give youth the opportunity to express themselves and make a lasting mark on the community they connect with.
Thorncliffe Greenview Mural: Diversity at the Bowling Alley
In Thorncliffe Greenview, our mural spanned the entire length of the bowling alley. The project which involved ten weeks of design, sketching and painting, wrapped up in January.
The mural main focus is in connection and diversity. Two bowling pins appear to be portals to space where astronauts of various ethnicities, are connected by a life line to av main space station this symbolizes the connectiveness of community.
Youth enjoyed participating in the creation of the mural, and the chance to showcase their work to friends, family and the community.
The new Cardel Rec South Mural
Antyx is now working on a new, exciting mural. This time, we have partnered with Cardel Rec South and Planet Youth in Shawnessy. A new excited group of youth are in the process of design creation for a new mural started in January.
Youth are taking the lead again focusing on connection community, inclusivity and more. All while they are connecting with others and themselves as meaningful conversations arise in every session.
They tell a story helping make youth communities, family, friends…) to identify these spaces as their own.
Impact on Youth and Communities
These mural projects are the perfect excuse to empower youth, providing a tool for self-expression, creativity, and collaboration. Transforming a wall into a mural is a journey that we navigate during our ten programming weeks, reflecting on the process, learning from “mistakes” and addressing issues and feelings that may come up.
Additionally, the murals contribute to the visual identity of the communities and become part of a building that they often visit. They tell a story and make youth communities (family, friends…) to feel the spaces as their own.
As the Cardel Rec South mural project continues, we are excited to continue welcoming new youth and project ideas. These mural projects sirve as an example of how art is a powerful tool for community transformation and youth empowerment.
