PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release 

                             

Contact DPW:       (415) 554-6926

Contact SFAC:      (415) 252-4638    



October 20, 2010                                      

FREE WALL MURAL ACTIVITY RETURNS

DPW and the San Francisco Arts Commission invite the public to help create a mural at Civic Center during Sunday Streets event

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – This weekend the public is invited to join in on the exciting return of the hugely successful Mobile Free Wall Activity on Sunday, October 24th during the Sunday Streets event outside City Hall. The program- a collaboration between the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) and the Department of Public Works (DPW)-creates a temporary 40 foot-long wall where urban artists can gather to practice their skills and paint an original mural on a grand scale.

Hundreds participated in the activity last month that resulted in a beautiful community mural being created in less than four hours. World-renowned urban artist, Chor Boogie, oversees and facilitates the Free Wall Activities, emphasizing the value of providing artists a safe space to create, along with tutorials on spray-can art. The program also recognizes that the difference between art and vandalism is permission. 

“The success of the Free Wall program is the result of leveraging the expertise of the Graffiti Advisory Board and the San Francisco Arts Commission. Their passion and leadership are making projects like these work.” said Mohammed Nuru, Deputy Director for Operations at DPW. “Our growing partnerships are helping to engage the artist community in new ways, resulting in a meaningful dialogue about keeping the City beautiful.”

All are welcome and encouraged to drop by the Free Wall and contribute throughout the Sunday Streets event, which lasts from 10am to 3pm. Spray paint and safety equipment such as latex gloves are all provided, and participants are invited to be creative and have fun with the improvised design of the mural.

“It’s important to show that there is a different dynamic to the whole graffiti issue and that there’s balance,” said Chor Boogie, Free Wall artist and host. “With this event we are sending a positive message about the medium with a hands-on activity.”  Boogie has worked with the SFAC in other endeavors, including creating The Color Therapy of Perception, a large mural on Market Street between 6th and 7th streets.

The Free Wall capitalizes on the positive results and feedback from other SFAC-DPW collaborations like the StreetSmARTs program, which pairs urban artists with private property owners to create vibrant murals throughout the City. The first private-property mural of this fiscal year was unveiled last week at 1354 York Street. There are plans to create more than 20 murals through this program this year.

DPW and San Francisco’s Graffiti Advisory Board continue to develop and support new and innovative programs to reduce illegal graffiti vandalism. Another highlight in the SFAC-DPW partnership is Where Art Lives. This program educates 4th through 6th graders about art and respecting public property, and teaches students that the difference between vandalism and art is owner permission. Classes in six San Francisco schools began last week.

DPW coordinates other beautification and graffiti prevention initiatives such as the Clean and Green Trucks program that paints out tagged up delivery trucks to reduce blight; and a Zero Graffiti Pledge, where residents commit to abate and report graffiti. To get involved and sign the pledge, the public can go to www.zerograffitisf.org.

The Free Wall activity takes place at the Sunday Streets events, and will resume at the next event in April.

About the San Francisco Arts Commission

Established by charter in 1932, the San Francisco Arts Commission is the City agency that champions the arts in San Francisco. Led by the belief that a creative cultural environment is essential to the City’s well-being, the Arts Commission programs permeate all aspects of City life. Programs include: Civic Art Collection, Civic Design Review, Community Arts & Education, Cultural Equity Grants, Public Art, SFAC Gallery, Street Artist Licensing, and Summer and the Symphony Concert Series. Visit us atwww.sfartscommission.org.

About the Department of Public Works (DPW)

DPW is responsible for the care and maintenance of San Francisco’s streets and much of its infrastructure. The department cleans and resurfaces streets; plants and maintains City street trees; designs, constructs and maintains city-owned facilities; inspects streets and sidewalks; constructs curb ramps; removes graffiti from public property; and partners with the diverse neighborhoods in San Francisco to provide stellar cleaning and greening services. More information can be found at www.sfdpw.org.

--end--