5 minute read
Community Muralists Influence Neighborhood Beautification
By: Coach Carmen Duncan
Advertisement
Community muralists have a way of evoking emotion through the use of paint. They allow their connection to the neighborhoods to inspire their designs and the messages they leave behind.
In 2020, I recognized the HUGE impact muralists have on how community members interact with the communities they live in or frequent. I also noticed muralists and other artists are not typically engaged by real estate developers until later in the construction phase. The late engagement limits their ability to engage with the community and get guidance from residents in the neighborhood where the mural will reside. Community engagement is an IMPORTANT component to the design concept and messages.
My observations inspired me to work alongside a group of local artists to develop the Artist in Construction program, an intensive career and business development program for early – mid career community muralists seeking mentorship and coaching to advance their careers and/or grow the mural side of their art businesses. The Artist in Construction program does not only unify a class of loyal artists, it will assist artists with better understanding the business behind art from marketing and brand development to accounting. The program was developed specifically to help emerging muralists ages 18 to 35 with two or more years of experience as graphic designers, muralists and/or painters with a desire to activate medium to large scale interior and exterior murals.
The two local muralists I worked alongside were Raè Fraiser and Eugene O’Neill. They were co-leads of the program in 2021. Raè Fraiser expressed “What’s brilliant about the Artist in Construction program is that it will expose ALL of the value within the artists, allowing them to fully understand what it means to NOT be one dimensional in their craft. The idea of creating an ongoing partnership between construction companies and artists is innovative and magical.”
“The mindset, experience and resources the program provides will allow people to intuitively maneuver their role and value as an artist in community driven collaborations.”, said Eugene O’Neill.
The inaugural program was funded by our lead sponsor by The Community Builders (TCB) and co-sponsored by Ungerman Electric. TCB is a nonprofit real estate development organization that provides affordable housing in communities across the country. Their mission is to build and sustain strong communities where all people can thrive. TCB’s mission-driven businesses work with partners to develop, finance and operate residential communities, neighborhood amenities and opportunity programs for families, seniors and adults with disabilities.
“Art is tremendously beneficial to one’s mental health-self-expression, it boosts confidence, and enables us to deal with depression and anxiety and contributes to our overall happiness and wellbeing” said Susan Ungerman, owner of Ungerman Electric. Artist in Construction students create purpose boards to illustrate their goals and aspirations.
Acommon misconception about the Capital Region is that public art is not an emerging area of business; however, in 2018, 6% of the local creative economy was made up of visual art and handcraft products according to the Center for Economic Growth. Furthermore, in the last year we’ve seen murals reveal themselves throughout the City of Albany and Troy and projects are underway in Schenectady.
Public art continues to be seen in our region. Art is a beautiful form of self and community expression. We want to help artists enhance their ability to market their talent so property owners and construction companies hire them to beautify the inside and outside of buildings.
As a result of the Artist in Construction program, four emerging community muralists: • developed more confidence with requesting payment for their servicessold their artwork at the Artist
Showcase in August 2021. (for one student it was her first time being financially compensated for her work.) • Secured freelance murals gigs with private clients and local businesses (for profit and nonprofit) which led to thousands of dollars in revenue generated for these local artists • gained knowledge of how to create a proposal and pitch themselves and their businesses • expanded their comfort identifying as an artpreneur
A 2018 report released by Americans for Arts states “7 in 10 Americans believe the arts unify communities, and 2 in 5 Americans have changed an opinion or perception based on an arts experience.” In addition to creating beauty in neighborhoods, art generates income and increases tourism. According to a 2017 report by the Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account released by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis our nation’s arts and cultural industry accounted for 4.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), or $877.8 billion.
Learn more about this program at https://matransitionservices.org/cbcdi/ artistinconstruction/
Ungerman Electric
Ungerman Electric has been "delighting" customers for over 50 years. We are a proud womanowned business, built around the principles of quality, responsiveness, and integrity. We provide residential and commercial electrical services including: • Repairs and troubleshooting • Code inspections and corrections • Panel upgrades • Wiring, lighting, and networking • 24/7 emergency services
At Ungerman Electric, we aren't just a business. We're a member of the community. We recognize our responsibility to not only give back but to engage.
We support Black Lives Matter. We condemn the racist attacks across the Capital Region and the nation. We stand in solidarity with all of our customers, co-workers, and friends. We stand for what we believe in.
We support what we believe in. Ungerman Electric has a proud history of philanthropy. We give to many organizations including YWCA-GCR, Habitat for Humanity, Damien Center, Planned Parenthood, Cong. Ohav Shalom, Our Own Voices, and Black Lives Matter.
