3rd and Maria Mural Project
In 2016 the Urban Roots Youth Council became interested in using art to enhance their community. After exploration and conversation, they soon settled on wanting to install a mural on the wall of Phoenix Market, which is located adjacent to the Market Garden Program’s first garden site on 3rd and Maria. The location was chosen as it serves as a gateway to the Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood upon leaving downtown St. Paul.
Youth spent the school year researching murals around the Twin Cities trying to determine which artist they would like to work with, and ultimately chose Good Space Murals. The Youth Council team applied for a grant through the Metropolitan Regional Art Council (MRAC), which they received. In 2017 they began the process of working with Goodspace Murals in a series of workshops to discover themes and images that the youth wanted to use to represent their community.
Youth Council also organized and held community listening sessions to receive feedback from neighbors on how they wanted to represent the community. Themes of health, vibrancy, food, and youth emerged. As a design emerged, youth provided input each step of the way and by the spring of 2018 the fun began, painting!
A series of community paint parties occurred, where community members could paint pieces of canvas in a paint by numbers style which when completed were used in the final installation process. In June of 2018 the mural was installed and a community celebration occurred. Today you can visit Phoenix Market at the intersection of 3rd and Maria in the Dayton’s Bluff Neighborhood to see the wonderful work the Youth Council helped create.
