A ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 9 celebrated the collaboration and the mural’s completion. Members of the board of directors of both organizations, along with the artists and teens, attended it.
“It was just a really great opportunity for individuals with disabilities to interact with the teens in the community, and truly work on a design from scratch, to bring it to life. It was the first opportunity for our crew to work with teens directly on an installation. We have worked with younger kids and adults, but this was the first time working with teens, so that was a fantastic opportunity,” said Kim Neal Davis, executive director at Inspiration Studios. “On the reciprocal side, it was also a great opportunity for teens in the Hamilton area to work with individuals with disabilities, and get to interact, and learn from them. It just brought this beautiful partnership together that is represented by this amazing mural.”
Over the course of a month, a small group of five artists worked with about 10 of the teens on Thursday evenings to brainstorm, sketch and develop a mural design.
“Tommy John, chief executive officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Hamilton and their team just started serving teens recently, so it was really important for them to take ownership of that space, so the ribbon cutting was a great night to celebrate,” Neal Davis said.
Smith said after the initial design phase, the teens and artists worked together over three afternoons to begin the mural. The artists from InsideOut Studio then continued the work during daytime hours, bringing the project to completion.
“The resulting mural spans an impressive 550 square feet, transforming the Teen Room into an inspiring and visually striking space,” he said.
Funding from the Ohio Arts Council was instrumental in bringing this project to life. The funds covered the cost of all materials, tools, and equipment needed for the mural. They also provided compensation for the artists with disabilities, who earned hourly wages for their time teaching the teens and contributing to the mural’s creation.
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