Buffalo ReUse has initiated a city-wide Neighborhood Peace Mural Project involving teenagers in the City of Buffalo. All area high schools and groups affiliated with local teens are invited to adopt-a-vacant-home within their neighborhoods as a canvas for peace . The planned activities coincide with Martin Luther King Jr activities and Black History Month events because it is a time when our nation honors heroes who have struggled against inequality. It is also a time when students learn about celebrating diversity and community; we hope to provide a hands-on lesson the city can cherish.
Securing vacant homes is an important task in keeping neighborhoods safe; but it does not mean boarded up homes must be an eyesore. Each adopted house could feature up to 20 images of peace, depending on its quantity of doors and windows. BRI will provide “mural kits” which include plywood boards, brushes and paint for each participating group. The groups merely have to supply their interpretations of peace–and the painters!
However, this ambitious endeavor involves more than just teens. BRI is seeking assistance from college photographers for digital documentation, as well as, neighborhood fire departments and Rotary Clubs to help secure the finished murals to the houses. Local hardware stores are encouraged to donate brushes and paints for the “mural kits.” Finally, we will exhibit a selection of the murals for one evening so that all the groups have a chance to connect with their fellow painters from all over the Queen City.
Click on the photo for a link to photos of a similar project from Fall 2007

There’s quite a few ways a group can help:

• members can assist classes that don’t have an art teacher–kind of coach the teens as they paint
• the group can adopt a house (paint 20 panels) preferably closer to downtown BFLO
• the group can help with the exhibition night (see below)
• the group can become one of the grown-up teams which will secure the completed boards
• the group can help run the drive for used and new artist paints/brushes
• members of the group can be The official digital documentary photographer for any of the schools.

Our Projected Timeline of Events:
Press Conference & announcement of participating schools= Tuesday, January 15, 10am
Deadline for school/group sign-ups is January 31st, 2008.
Feb 11-18th Delivery of materials to the participants
Feb 18-29 Participants paint the images on the plywood boards (in their class/school)
Mar 8 Exhibition of selected murals for the public 6-8pm at Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, Porter Hall, 453 Porter Ave. (free! light refreshments provided)
Feb 23-23 Mar Civic groups/PTA/firemen may secure the pre-adopted vacant homes using the pre-painted boards.

If you know a group that would like to participate or you would like to assist with this project, please contact Caesandra at 716-885-4131 or email us volunteer {at} buffaloreuse(.)org