Shell Sponsored Public Murals to be Produced by YA/YA in Orleans and Surrounding Parishes.

Based on the theme “Coming Home”, the first of four YA/YA murals will be painted on the parking lot wall of the Contemporary Arts Center, located downtown in the CBD. A team of YA/YA alumni along with the new YA/YA young artists guild, will paint the 21 x 75 foot mural beginning January. The remaining three public murals will be produced in Jefferson, St. Tammany and Plaquemines Parishes throughout the year.

Four mural design, creative writing and recruiting workshops were held at the CAC, led and mentored by YA/YA creative project director, Rondell Crier and YA/YA alumni designer, Rontherin Ratliff. The workshops were held in collaboration with The Neighborhood Storytelling Project. Youth ages 12-17 wrote stories and poems about their return to New Orleans after Katrina, then created images from the stories. The mural design incorporates images of the city’s culture, the vision of the people, and the power of design and visual art in rebuilding and returning to our local neighborhoods and homes.

YA/YA interns Quinton Gilmore, Austin Richards, and Brooklynn Johnson, along with mentors Sexton Wright and Timeka Junius manned a children's booth at the Fresh Arts Festival in October where children created their own murals depicting their expressions about returning home.