CELEBRATING THE “TURNING POINT” MURAL – A UNIQUE CULMINATION OF PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS,  BENEFITING OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH - AT THE  JUNE 17^th dedication

TRANSFORMING LIVES AND THE COMMUNITY

~ A collaboration of community-based organizations came together over a year ago to give youth a paid apprenticeship opportunity and the chance to use their artistic skills to  create a historic beautiful public art project at the corner of Piney Branch Road and New Hampshire Avenue. ~

WHAT: Join invited guests and speakers, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett, Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson, State Senator David C. Harrington, State Senator Jamin B. (Jamie) Raskin, and other elected officials and the community for a celebratory event, marking the dedication of the “Turning Point” Mural hosted by local community-based organizations in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. The theme of the mural is transformation – giving significance to the transformation of lives and the landscape of a community. In addition, “Turning Point” apprentice artists will share their experiences from the project and there will be acknowledgements of sponsors and supporters. A tour of the mural will immediately follow the speaking program.

GREAT PHOTO OPPORTUNITY at 11:30 a.m.  AND TOUR OF THE MURAL IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING SPEAKING PROGRAM.

Interviews with out-of-school youth (MEET SOME OF THE APPRENTICES WHO HAVE COMPELLING STORIES RELATED TO THEIR PERSONAL STRUGGLES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND HEAR HOW THE TURNING POINT MURAL PROJECT HAS MADE A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES.)

WHERE: 101 Southampton Drive, Silver Spring, MD                        

WHEN:  June 17, 2008 at 11:00 a.m.; RAIN DATE: June 18, 2008 at 2:00 p.m.

BACKGROUND:
With the goal of giving out-of-school youth a unique learning experience and exposure to art, Arts on the Block, MMYC and a collaboration of community-based organizations and dedicated law enforcement, paved a way for the start of the “Turning Point” Mural project over a year ago. Brandon Pellecchia, a Montgomery County Police Officer, and Gretchen Hilburger of the Maryland International Corridor CSAFE, know first-hand what dangers come from gang “taggings” in a community. With a total commitment to this project, Officer Pellecchia and Ms. Hilburger became instrumental, along with other staff from municipal and community-based organizations, in finding the resources to bring this challenging project to fruition. It is truly this unique collaboration combined with the support garnered from individuals and businesses in the community that speaks volumes about the power of partnerships to create opportunities for underserved youth.

"Turning Point” apprentice artists, under the direction of AOB Lead Artist Carien Quiroga, have been given a chance to contribute to the community in a lasting way, as well as a chance to change their lives for the better. Visually, the mural, will be a stunning display of creativity and captures the unique artistic skills of youth apprentice artists.

Using public art as the basis for learning, the “Turning Point” Mural Project offered life skills, leadership development, job readiness training and stipends to out-of-school, at-risk youth in Langley Park, Long Branch and surrounding communities. While removing a  "blank canvas" for taggers and graffiti art, the Project harnessed the creative energies of 22 youth throughout the program for the positive benefit of the community and contributed to urban revitalization by creating a permanent mural at the intersection of Piney Branch Road and New Hampshire Avenue in Prince George's and Montgomery Counties.

The prominent 4,500 SF retaining wall at this location is a constant site for gang markings, which can promote gang involvement and imply geographical ownership by gangs, making residents, businesses and commuters feel very unsafe and wanting to leave the area. Prior to installation, two neighboring apartment complexes organized and supplied materials for the power washing, priming and painting of the wall and prepared it for the mural installation, which is scheduled to begin on Friday, June 6. For more information, visit www.artsontheblock.com and www.layc-dc.org.

Arts on the Block empowers creative underserved youth to imagine and shape fulfilling futures and contribute to the quality of life of their communities. Arts on the Block achieves its mission by providing paid opportunities to work with established artists/mentors on commissioned artwork and entrepreneurial projects. The Maryland Multicultural Youth Centers (MMYC), a member of the Latin American Youth Center’s family of organizations, began offering programs in Maryland in the summer of 2005. MMYC is working towards replicating LAYC’s proven youth development model in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties. MMYC’s comprehensive culturally sensitive programs and services are designed to span the entire youth engagement continuum, helping youth to meet basic needs and ultimately to build leadership and advocacy skills that enable increased community involvement.

For more information about the mural, contact Jan Goldstein, AOB director, at 240.283.1526 or jgoldstein@artsontheblock.com, or Luisa Montero, MMYC Managing Director, at 301.431.3121 x32 or luisa@layc-dc.org.