Mesa Arts Center’s One Street Over Project Completed

Mesa Arts Center presented the results of its large-scale community engagement project, “One Street Over,” a six-month public art project conducted in the Whitman Neighborhood in Mesa, Arizona.

With support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the City of Mesa, Mesa Public Schools, Rail CDC, and more, the Mesa Arts Center’s One Street Over project aimed to connect and engage neighborhoods through the arts.

Over a six-month period, from November 2023 to April 2024, the project engaged neighbors through art and citizen residencies in elementary schools, “MABEL” Pop-up Events (Mobile Art Based Engagement Lab), Community Gatherings, Paint Days, and Celebrations. Through conversations, collaborative and personal art projects, and inspiration from neighborhood participants, One Street Over culminated in the creation of a 2,000-foot mural and 5 artistically designed pole banners installed at 1700 N. Grand in Whitman Park.

The mural, created by artist Miguel Angel Godoy, was shaped and influenced by the activities and conversations that took place during the project, resulting in a work of art that truly reflects the community.

The project was realized in collaboration with the residents at every step of the process, creating a special bond between the participants, which reflects the heritage and pride of the neighborhood.

Beginning with a partnership with Mesa Public Schools, One Street Over teachers and Mesa Arts Center art educators conducted In School Arts & Civic Residencies, held at Whitman Elementary (K-6) and Kerr Center for Agriscience (K-7). The residencies resulted in over 1,000 student-created art and civic projects, including the creation of “personal identity boxes” organized into a neighborhood format. Emphasizing the importance of diverse perspectives and building consensus amid differing viewpoints, the resulting mini-neighborhood was used as inspiration and reference as Miguel Godoy began creating the mural design.

The One Street Over Project also hosted several MABEL Pop-Up Events (Mobile Art-Based Engagement Lab) in the neighborhood. Pop-ups featured many community projects and installations, including a Community Kaleidoscope, consisting of individuals’ sketches and symbols of their personal identity, heritage, and culture. Projects also included a “Community Cupboard,” featuring contributions from residents who responded to the question, “What’s an ingredient you keep in your pantry because someone who raised you kept it in their pantry?”

The many projects created through MABEL deliberately reflected the identity and history of the neighbourhood and were a further contribution for Godoy as a reference and source of inspiration for the creation of the mural.

Rail CDC, the lead community partners in the project, conducted bilingual door-to-door visits throughout the neighborhood to share information, build relationships, and attract residents to the project. The resulting Community Gatherings (“Platicas”) led to conversations with residents and Rail representatives about resources, the future of the neighborhood, and improvements and solutions for their local park.

With the guidance and inspiration of all the engagement activities, artist Miguel Angel Godoy developed the concept for the mural One Street Over, a colorful collection of words spanning the length of the wall, selected from the languages ​​spoken in the community: English, Spanish and Piipaash.

“My process for engaging the community in these types of public art projects is to first listen,” Godoy says. “And with this project, we were fortunate to have a series of events where we were there to learn and listen to what the community wanted to see in this mural.”

Four central themes emerged from this collaborative effort: Dream, Aspire, Learn, and Love. In response to community feedback, the mural includes significant representation from Native American and Latino cultures, honoring the rich diversity of our community. Key thematic words were thoughtfully translated into relevant languages, such as “SHMAAK” in Piipaash for “DREAM,” “ASPIRAR” in Spanish for “ASPIRE,” “UUXAYK” (Piipaash) for “LEARN,” and “AMOR” (Spanish) for “LOVE.”

Cultural and iconic images that are important to the community are interwoven between the words, creating a vibrant focal point that truly reflects the neighborhood.

In April 2024, the One Street Over Project began its Community Paint Days to paint the 2,000-foot mural on a wall surrounding Whitman Park. Residents participated using a “paint-by-numbers” approach, coloring the mural according to Godoy’s outlines and directions.

“I love bringing the community together,” says Whitman resident Gregorio Ramos. “You get to know your neighbors and some of the people who live here, and you all come together for the common goal of taking care of the place you live.”

The One Street Over Project concluded on April 26 with a celebratory gathering that brought together artists, community leaders, teachers, participants, families and neighbors closely involved with the project.

“The arts are perhaps the most nuanced vehicle we have to understand each other and transcend barriers together,” said Danica Martin, project developer and manager. “The One Street Over Project represents more than just a series of community events and artistic endeavors; it embodies the spirit of cultural celebration and inclusive community development. The project has not only brought art and expression to one of our Mesa neighborhoods, but has also fostered a sense of ownership, pride and unity among residents and community partners. With the arts as an accessible entry point, we can do so much together.”

For more information about Mesa Arts Center’s engagement programs, visit mesaartscenter.com/engagement.

Comments

To post a comment you must register And Log in.