Download - Groundswell 2013 Annual Report
Over Groundswell’s 17-year history, we have completed nearly 450 public art projects in over 75 neighborhoods, engaging hundreds of artists and thousands of young people.
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ANNUAL REPORT 2013 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A Letter from the Board Chair .................... 3
A Message from the Executive Director ..... 4
Summer Leadership Institute .................... 6
2012/2013 In Review ................................... 8
Afterschool Programs .............................. 10
School and
Community-Based Programs ................... 12
Special Initiatives ...................................... 14
Our Donors ................................................ 16
2012/2013 Financials ................................ 17
2 GROUNDSWELL
LETTER FROM THE BOARD CHAIR
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Groundswell works with 50+ community partners and serves 800 youth each year.
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 3
LETTER FROM THE BOARD CHAIR
BOARD
David Goldstein
President
Cedric Gaddy
Treasurer
Menshahat Ebron
Secretary
Ricardo Cortés
Jay DeDapper
Didi Goldenhar
Maura Greaney
Christine Haney
Carolina Jannicelli
Rob Krulak
Raquiba LaBrie
Jenny Laden
Nazli Parvizi
Samantha Rhulen
During the past year, Groundswell celebrated many
meaningful accomplishments, several of which might
have seemed unthinkable just a few years ago and which
together mark an exciting new phase of organizational
growth and maturity.
Most importantly, during the past year Groundswell
adopted an ambitious three-year Strategic Plan. The
development of this plan offered Groundswell an
opportunity to crystallize our mission and reaffi rm our
vision.
At Groundswell we believe that art creates community
and that community creates change.
This collaboratively generated community change is also
known as collective impact – a philosophy to describe
the engagement of multiple actors to a common agenda
for solving complex social problems.
In Groundswell’s case, we focus on the collective impact
of Youth, Community Partners, and Art, toward a more
just and equitable world.
As our Strategic Plan outlines:
• Our vision of youth development is to engage underserved, marginalized, and economically disadvantaged youth in public artmaking to gain the inspiration, tools, and agency to take ownership of their futures.
• Our vision of community change is to encourage dialogue and activism, in partnership with organizations that share our values and aspirations.
• Our vision of public art is to link personal expression to community activism, resulting in high-quality work that conveys compelling messages and refl ects the concerns of our participants and partners.
• Our vision of positive social change is a more just and equitable world.
There was no more important way to honor this vision than with the unveiling of “Recovery Diaspora,” one of more than 35 public art projects collaboratively created by Groundswell youth and artists in FY13.
“Recovery Diaspora” represented the capstone mural of a citywide public art installation developed by acclaimed street artist Swoon, together with youth from neighborhoods deeply impacted by Superstorm Sandy. Temporarily installed on the famed Bowery Mural Wall, the mural was dedicated on the one-year anniversary of this devastating storm, and highlighted the importance of continued relief efforts by and for Sandy’s victims.
It is also my pleasure to announce that in 2013 Groundswell was awarded the prestigious and highly competitive “Our Town” grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, after being bestowed the honor of being New York City’s sole nomination for the prize. Through this funding, Groundswell will signifi cantly expand our work with young adult probation clients in Brownsville, in partnership with the New York City Department of Probation and the Pitkin Avenue Business Improvement District. We look forward to sharing our progress over the next two years.
Finally, as you will see in the enclosed fi nancials, Groundswell continued to demonstrate a high level of fi scal discipline and fi nancial stability, with steady growth in operating revenue and net assets. Groundswell also established an investment fund, which will support us in achieving our ambitious vision in the coming years.
As always, I am inspired by the many talented individuals that contribute each day to Groundswell’s efforts to use art as a tool for social change, including our staff, artists, young people, Board members, and partners.
I welcome the chance to share my profound thanks and gratitude, particularly to my friends and colleagues Susan Ochshorn, Robin Deutsch Edwards, and Joanne Nerenberg, who recently stepped down from Groundswell’s Board of Directors.
And, of course, thank you for all that you do to support Groundswell’s efforts to bring about the better world we all envision.
DEAR FRIENDS
SINCERELY,
DAVID GOLDSTEIN
BOARD CHAIR
4 GROUNDSWELL
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Evidence of inspiration – that spark or aha! moment when an artist, youth, community partner, or neighborhood resident feels a new connection, sees new potential, looks at a problem in a new way, or decides to get involved.
• Through “Recovery Diaspora,” teens visit the studio of acclaimed street artist Swoon, and then create their own artworks inspired by her community-based technique.
• A fi rst-time participant discovers an artistic talent he never knew he had and now “is hungry to learn more.”
Evidence of tools– the skills acquired through Groundswell programs and projects.
• Through our Summer Leadership Institute, 50% of participants demonstrate advanced mastery through Scaffold Up! and progress to new levels of leadership and opportunity.
• 90% of Groundswell community partners leverage our public artmaking process as a tool to more deeply fulfi ll their missions.
Evidence of agency – the ability to make change toward personal or collective goals. A belief – I can make it happen! – that results from the inspiration and tools acquired through our programs.
• Through StreetWise: Hunts Point, South Bronx residents come together across racial, economic, and generational divides to prioritize policy change suggestions to NYC DOT.
• Through our Portfolio Development program, 92% of graduating seniors apply to and enroll in fi ne art college.
At Groundswell we believe in the transformative potential of the creative process. We believe that when you are inspired, and given training in the tools you need, the result is a feeling of power.
We believe that one must be inspired to aspire.
Only once we are all inspired, will we be able to achieve our collective masterpiece of a more just and equitable world.
We cannot thank you, our committed friends and supporters, enough for all that you do to
make this inspiration and aspiration possible.
A COLLECTIVE MASTERPIECE
SINCERELY,
AMY SANANMAN
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Creating a masterpiece requires people, skills, collaboration, and
planning.
It requires inspiration, tools, and a sense of agency.
It requires strong values and an aspirational vision.
The ‘masterpiece’ Groundswell aspires to create is a more just and
equitable world.
Our masterpiece is, in essence, our mission.
Inspired by this vision, we exert our power, our sense of agency,
by using art as a tool for social change.
As you review the enclosed pages, we hope you will see evidence
of the inspiration, tools, and agency we offer to participants,
partners, and passersby.
In FY13, Groundswell completed 36 new works of public art.
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 5
MISSION
Groundswell brings together youth,
artists, and community organizations
to make public art that advances
social change, for a more just and
equitable world. Our projects beautify
neighborhoods, engage youth in societal
and personal transformation, and give
expression to ideas and perspectives
that are underrepresented in the public
dialogue.
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6 GROUNDSWELL
SUMMER LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
I learned that I have an artistic talent that I never knew I had. It
has been really encouraging to start learning the skill of painting
and then notice that I’m good at it. Now I am hungry to learn
more. Not only have I learned to paint better, but I’m also learning
to work with people and collaborate to turn many ideas into one
cohesive concept.
Ejiro Oghfor
Groundswell Youth Participant
Groundswell’s Summer Leadership Institute is an intensive jobs training opportunity that employs up to 120 young people over seven weeks each summer. Two professional artists lead each youth mural team through the research, design, and creation of a high-quality, permanently installed work of public art for an underserved New York City neighborhood. In 2013, 97 youth, nearly all of them public school students or recent graduates, created eight monumental works of public art.
“IN
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During summer 2013, 100% of SLI participants achieved at least one of the four Ground Tier Scaffold Up! Pins.
Beautifying Riverbank
“Beautifying Riverbank”
celebrates NYC’s local water
cycle and tells the story of
Riverbank State Park’s creation.
The mural begins as community
activists organize for a state-of-
the-art park to be built atop a
planned wastewater treatment
plant, and ends as these same
activists, now grandparents and
friends of the park, enjoy all
that the park has to offer and
envision its future legacy.
In collaboration with NYC Department of Environmental Protection and NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation
Medium & SizeAcrylic on Parachute Cloth, 260 x 15 ft
Location679 Riverside Drive Harlem, Manhattan
Lead ArtistPaul Deo
Assistant ArtistOlivia Fu
Youth ArtistsSusan Aghedo, Sandra Aghedo, Fabio Gomez, Khalil Maule, Clayton Mednick, Mandy Mei, Zhane Murray, Oluwatobi (Tobi) Oniyinde, Brayan Ramales, Jimmy Ramirez, Keyla Rijo, Daniella Rijo, Justine Rivera, Angelica Severino, Devonte Thomas, and Michelle Tineo
Bronx Rising
“Bronx Rising,” created as
a part of the StreetWise:
Hunts Point series, presents a
community-inspired vision for
Hunts Point as a neighborhood
on the rise, much as the
phoenix rises from the ashes to
achieve new life. In the mural,
a central fi gure of a young girl
is supported on either side by
elders from her neighborhood
who have worked to achieve
a safer, more sustainable
community. Figures above plant
trees, re-imagine the streetscape,
and direct residents to newly
created neighborhood parks.
In collaboration with NYC DOT
Medium & SizeAcrylic on Parachute Cloth, 18 x 30 ft
Location854 Hunts Point Avenue Hunts Point, Bronx
Lead ArtistCrystal Bruno
Assistant ArtistAdam Kidder
Youth ArtistsDajean Aiken, Christina Conney, Cody Levy, Kalia Loadholt, Rashawn Love, Joseph Mejias, Mariana Nava, Christian Nunez, Angie Roman, Deshawn Ruddock, Kokayi Snowden, Oyindamola Sunmonu, Keshani Whint, and Jeremy Whyte
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 7
Coney Island Rising Up
The design for “Coney
Island Rising Up, ” a part
of Groundswell’s Recovery
Diaspora series, centers around
a central mermaid fi gure,
evoking the iconic image of the
Coney Island boardwalk, and
honoring local mom-and-pop
businesses on Mermaid Avenue.
Movement is created through
repetition, in a reference to
Master Artist Swoon’s signature
printmaking technique.
In collaboration with LISC New York City, Astella Development Corporation, and Swoon
Medium & SizeAcrylic on Parachute Cloth, 7 x 20 ft
Location2114 Mermaid Avenue Coney Island, Brooklyn
Lead ArtistYana Dimitrova
Lead ArtistJazmine Hayes
Youth ArtistsKhalayha Ashley, Anayshah Bashier, Mercy Carpenter, Kenya Frazier, Jacinta Gonzalez, Shawntell James, Jillian Kong, Alyssa Lau, Malikah Mahone, Keianna Noble, Melanie Perez, Tiana Ratcliffe, Maria Rivas, Jonell Santiago, Tasleem Sheikh, Collene Thomas, Shanice Thompsion, and Desmonae Wilson
Intersections Humanized
In “Intersections Humanized,”
a central constellation of
individual portraits overlooks
historic Pitkin Avenue.
Together, these individual
portraits highlight the strength
and diversity present in
Brownsville, while creating a
positive shared identity for the
neighborhood’s residents. The
image is a powerful reminder
of the critical role each of us
has to play in transforming our
community and promoting the
livability of our streets.
In collaboration with NYC DOT, Brownsville Community Justice Center, and Pitkin Avenue BID
Medium & SizeAcrylic on Wall, 55 x 35 ft
Location1550 Pitkin Avenue Brownsville, Brooklyn
Lead ArtistChris Soria
Lead ArtistDonChristian Jones
Youth ArtistsNakira “NuNu” Adams, Alexander Battle, Massiah Berkley, Julian Best, Shannen Bristow, Andre Cuenca, Dashawn Hayes, Robert Howell, Marinique Mora, Roman Nembhard, Abdul Nixon, Giovanni Olivera, Eric Palermo-Rojas, Anthony Smith, and Joseph Yee
Moving Along
“Moving Along” creates an
inviting gateway between the
Atlantic Avenue shopping
district and Brooklyn Bridge
Park, to be safely shared by
pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles
alike. By incorporating both
historical elements to evoke
the rich history of the site,
as well as bright colors and a
wave-like composition to create
movement, the mural reminds
viewers that there is always
more to see along this corridor.
In collaboration with NYC DOT and
Altantic Avenue BID
Medium & Size
Acrylic on Wall, 120 x 19 ft
Location
Atlantic Avenue and Columbia
Street, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn
Lead Artist
Esteban del Valle
Assistant Artist
Marc Evan
Youth ArtistsWeng “Sammi” Chan, Tiffany Chen, Kara Chichester, Justina England, Yessenia Fabian, Ranasia Gale, Keone Germain, Miyah Harris, Emmanuel Knight, Frank Li, Anthony Lopez, Stephanie Nan, Shakima Patterson, Gina Roseborough, Laron Wages, Abie “Tymell” Williams, and Helen Zhen
People Helping People
“People Helping People”
was created as a part of
Groundswell’s city-wide
Recovery Diaspora project.
The mural incorporates site-
specifi c Red Hook imagery,
including hands clasped to
resemble the hull of a ship, a
nod to Red Hook’s history as
a busy freight port. The mural
celebrates Red Hook’s efforts to
work together to deliver aid to
hardest hit residents following
the destruction of Superstorm
Sandy and to ultimately rebuild
their community.
In collaboration with LISC New York City, Fifth Avenue Committee, and Swoon
Medium & SizeAcrylic on Parachute Cloth, 8 x 15 ft
LocationRed Hook, Brooklyn
Lead ArtistMisha Tyutyunik
Assistant ArtistAngel Garcia
Youth ArtistsDamarcus Bruno, Davin Collins, Michael Cox, Marcos Diaz, Latrell Dickerson, Christopher Foli, Phillip Green, Brandon Larracuente, Brandon Merlos, Kadeem Noel, Ejiro Oghafor, Raymond Reyes, McRonald Russell, and Dwayne Williamson
We Rose Above the Challenge
Teen artists researched the impact of Superstorm Sandy on the Rockaways through a series of interviews and site visits with local residents. As a response to these interviews, the young people drew from stories of devastation and recovery to create a mural design that captures both the concerns and optimism of the people of the Rockaways. A beacon in the mural symbolizes the important role the Challenge Preparatory Charter School played within the community in the days and months following the storm.
In collaboration with LISC New York City, Ocean Bay Community Development Corporation, and Swoon
Medium & SizeAcrylic on Parachute Cloth, 35 x 5 ft
Location710 Hartman Lane Far Rockaway, Queens
Lead ArtistMisha Tyutyunik
Assistant ArtistAngel Garcia
Youth ArtistsDamarcus Bruno, Davin Collins, Michael Cox, Marcos Diaz, Latrell Dickerson, Christopher Foli, Phillip Green, Brandon Larracuente, Brandon Merlos, Kadeem Noel, Ejiro Oghafor, Raymond Reyes, McRonald Russell, and Dwayne Williamson
You Can Take Our Homes But
You Can’t Take Our Hearts
This Recovery Diaspora mural illustrates the hope and optimism of the people of Staten Island following Superstorm Sandy. The mural takes the form of the human heart, stronger and more resilient as families return and homes are rebuilt. The stained glass motif suggests that the school where the mural is installed is also a sacred space, where neighbors helped one another following the storm.
In collaboration with LISC New York City, Northfield Community LDC, and Swoon
Medium & SizeAcrylic on Parachute Cloth, 12 x 17 ft
Location465 New Dorp Lane New Dorp, Staten Island
Lead ArtistYana Dimitrova
Lead ArtistJazmine Hayes
Youth ArtistsKhalayha Ashley, Anayshah Bashier, Mercy Carpenter, Kenya Frazier, Jacinta Gonzalez, Shawntell James, Jillian Kong, Alyssa Lau, Malikah Mahone, Keianna Noble, Melanie Perez, Tiana Ratcliffe, Maria Rivas, Jonell Santiago, Tasleem Sheikh, Collene Thomas, Shanice Thompsion, and Desmonae Wilson
8 GROUNDSWELL
Astella Development Corporation
Atlantic Avenue BID
Boys Town New York
Brooklyn Frontiers High School
Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation
Brooklyn Smoke-Free Partnership
Brownsville Community Justice Center
Chinatown YMCA
Deloitte & Touche LLP
Downtown Brooklyn Partnership
East Brooklyn Community High School
East River Academy
Fifth Avenue Committee
Pathways to Graduation at Bronx Regional
High School
Goddard Riverside Community Center
Herbert H. Lehman High School
IS 318
JHS 157
JHS 162
Kappa V MS 518
LISC New York City
Montefiore Medical Center
MS 424
New Museum
New Rochelle Council on the Arts
New Rochelle School District
Northfield Community LDC
NU Hotel
NYC Department of Correction
NYC Department of Education
NYC Department of Environmental Protection
NYC Department of Transportation
NYC Housing Authority
NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic
Preservation
Ocean Bay Community Development
Corporation
Pio Mendez Senior Center
Pitkin Avenue BID
PS 39
PS 100
PS 116
PS 149
PS 175
PS 186
PS 194
Red Hook Initiative
The Partnership for a Healthier New York City
The Trust for Public Land
The Urban Assembly School of Music and Art
at Waters Edge
University Settlement
Woodhull Medical Center
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
90% of community partners believe a partnership with Groundswell supports their outreach efforts and raises awareness of the issue addressed by the artwork.
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ANNUAL REPORT 2013 9
YEAR IN REVIEW
1 Attack of the Second Hand
Smoke, WILLIAMSBURG
2 Beautifying Riverbank,
HARLEM
3 Bronx Rising, HUNTS POINT
4 Coney Island Rising Up,
CONEY ISLAND
5 Intersections Humanized,
BROWNSVILLE
6 Justice Mandalas,
DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN
7 Kaleidoscope Dream,
BROOKLYN NAVY YARD
8 Knowledge is Power,
DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN
9 Moving Along,
COBBLE HILL
10 My New Rochelle,
NEW ROCHELLE
11 New Decisions and Second
Chances, RIKERS ISLAND
12 Participatory Budgeting
Banners, GOWANUS
13 Peace Bridge,
FORT GREENE
14 People Helping People,
RED HOOK
15 Rebound and Rebuild,
RED HOOK
16 Renewal and Rebirth,
CANARSIE
17 Safety Sign Project -
Be Safe! ¡Ten Cuidado!,
BUSHWICK
18 Safety Sign Project -
Look When Crossing,
UPPER WEST SIDE
19 Safety Sign Project -
Reach for the Stars,
JACKSON HEIGHTS
20 Safety Sign Project -
Respect: Embrace Your
Community, HUNTS POINT
21 Safety Sign Project -
Respect is Correct,
BENSONHURST
22 Safety Sign Project -
Safety Grows in Brooklyn,
BROWNSVILLE
23 Safety Sign Project -
Stop! School Ahead,
WESTCHESTER VILLAGE
24 Safety Sign Project -
The Fantastic Supersenses,
HARLEM
25 Safety Sign Project -
This is Our Safety Zone,
HUNTS POINT
26 Safety Sign Project -
Walk Wisely, HUNTS POINT
27 Safety Sign Project -
Watch Your Every Move,
WILLIAMSBURG
28 Safety Sign Project -
Use the Crosswalk,
NORTH SHORE
29 Stewardship of Nature,
SUNNYSIDE
30 The City as Living Body,
LOWER EAST SIDE
31 The Four Elements,
WILLIAMSBURG
32 The Game of Not Playing,
MORRIS HEIGHTS
33 We Rose Above the
Challenge, FAR ROCKAWAY
34 Women in the Park,
SCHUYLERVILLE
35 You Can Take Our Homes
But You Can’t Take Our
Hearts, NEW DORP
36 You Smoke...We All Smoke,
WILLIAMSBURG
STATEN ISLAND
19
MANHATTAN
BROOKLYN
QUEENS
BRONX
5,22
32
34
4
2,24
21
23
12
11
30
6,8
28
7
34
9
13
16
1,27,31,36
18
17
3,20,25,26
10
14,15
35
33
29
10 GROUNDSWELL
AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS
TEEN EMPOWERMENT MURAL APPRENTICESHIP (TEMA)
TEMA supports the development of artistic skills while furthering
broader youth development objectives. In FY13, two TEMA
sections with a total enrollment of 32 teens met weekly during three-
hour sessions between October and June, for a total of 100 contact
hours. Each section engaged participants in the creation of a work
of art for a commissioning organization.
Kaleidoscope Dream
This series of eight mural panels honor the new industries and
workforce that have revitalized the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The
apprentices tackled issues such as the relationship of race and
class to today’s work and economy and the gentrifi cation and
de-industrialization of Brooklyn. The imagery celebrates the
interconnectedness of work and industry. The mural imitates
the movement of a kaleidoscope, representing the merging of
stakeholders to create a dynamic and interdependent community.
In collaboration with Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation
Medium & SizeAcrylic on Wood Panel, Eight panels 4 x 8 ft each
LocationBLDG 92, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Brooklyn
Lead ArtistTanya Linn Albrigtsen-Frable
Assistant ArtistJules Joseph
Youth ArtistsRoger Aguilar, Dajean Aiken, Dakota Austin, Tricia Browne, Bryan DelValle, Marcos Diaz, Kaianna Griffith, Nathaniel James, Shauntell Jennings, Maleek Jospeh, Cianni Martin, Erick Orduna, Jazmine Perez, Tiberius Perez, Brayan Ramales, Khandakar Risterlatullah, Jonell Santiago, Amber Smalls, Michelle Tineo, Michael Toledo, and Safiyyah Wilkerson
The Game of Not Playing
Inspired by their own educational experiences, the apprentices
explored how individuals can defi ne “success” for themselves. As
a community, they sought to advocate for those who take creative
paths towards education and achievement. They developed imagery
to illuminate how the traditional high school may fail to engage
many students. The mural serves as a vehicle to discuss how the
educational system can change to better support all students, and
honors individuals who leave traditional high schools and yet fi ght to
continue their education.
In collaboration with Pathways to Graduation at Bronx Regional High School
Medium & SizeAcrylic on Parachute Cloth, 7 x 8 ft
Location1010 Rev. James A Polite Avenue, Morris Heights, Bronx
Lead ArtistNicole Schulman
Assistant ArtistPablo Acona
Youth ArtistsAnzia Anderson, Gloryann Anderson, Shannon Bristow, Chenice Campbell, Elijah Crispon, Samuel Huddle, Catherine Hunt, Danya Levy,
Tobi Oninyinde, Jimmy Ramirez, and Raymond Reyes
VOICES HER’D VISIONARIES and MAKING HIS’TORYDuring a spring afterschool session, Groundswell’s Voices Her’d
Visionaries program for talented young women and Making His’tory
program for exceptional young men met weekly to research and
discuss ideas for a summer public art project. The teams both
focused on Superstorm Sandy recovery in NYC’s most affected
neighborhoods.
As a part of their research, the teams collaborated with socially
engaged street artist Swoon to learn more about her printmaking
style and technique as well as her work in disaster-affected
communities globally. This research helped to inform each team’s
Recovery Diaspora murals created during the summer sessions.
PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENTPortfolio Development serves as a capstone to Groundswell’s
broader youth programs. This pre-professional training program
offers a unique opportunity for young artists interested in pursuing
post-secondary art education. The curriculum is challenging, and it
encourages youth to build technical skills, discover their artistic voices,
and achieve their creative potentials. Of the college-eligible graduating
seniors enrolled in the spring 2013 session, 92% were accepted into
and enrolled in art school and college programs, including Fashion
Institute of Technology, Pratt Institute, Parsons the New School
for Design, and California Institute of Design. Most received
scholarships.
As a group, Groundswell’s afterschool programs offer a suite of opportunities for youth to strengthen their skills in Groundswell’s Four C’s: Collaboration; Critical Thinking/Decision Making; Compassion; and Creativity. Each program is designed based on a traditional apprenticeship and uses a series of sequential skill-building activities to support young people’s success in our programs and in their lives more generally.
95% of afterschool participants believe Groundswell helps them get better at gathering information and reviewing options before making a decision.
“KA
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ANNUAL REPORT 2013 11
AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS
I never thought that I could … express my feelings through art
like this. You have to go against everything that is negative
and think about positive things. I think seeing something nice
produced in the neighborhood will help change it. The small
things that we do will make it get better eventually.
Sean TurnerGroundswell Youth Participant P
OR
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12 GROUNDSWELL
SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS
Attack of the Second Hand Smoke &You Smoke...We All Smoke
In this poster campaign, students explored smoking
as a public health issue and learned about the dangers
of fi rst-, second-, and third-hand smoking and the
relationship between smoking and asthma. They also
explored how art has been the battleground between
anti-smoking initiatives and cigarette advertising.
In collaboration with IS 318, Brooklyn Smoke-Free Partnership, Woodhull Medical Center, and The Partnership for a Healthier New York City
Medium & Size Digital Prints on Stock Paper, 11 x 17 in each
Location 101 Walton Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Lead Artist Christopher Cardinale
Assistant Artist
Leola Bermanzohn
Participants
16 middle school students
Knowledge is Power
This mural explores the shared educational dreams and
goals of the inaugural Brooklyn Frontiers class of over-
age under-credited students. Meaningful symbols such
as the dream catcher, the feather, the hour glass, and the
graduating student send a message of hope to students.
In collaboration with Brooklyn Frontiers High School
Medium & SizeAcrylic on Tyvek, 10 x 50 ft
Location112 Schermerhorn Street, Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn
Lead ArtistYana Dimitrova
Assistant ArtistJules Joseph
Participants14 high school students
My New Rochelle
This mural showcases the teen participants’ visions and
impressions of their city, New Rochelle, highlighting
its strengths that include an emphasis on healthy living,
athletics, community, the visual and performing arts,
and vibrant economic centers.
In collaboration with New Rochelle Council on the Arts and New Rochelle School District
Medium & SizeAcrylic on parachute cloth, 250 sq ft
Location11 Lincoln Road, New Rochelle, Westchester
Lead ArtistMauricio Trenard
Assistant ArtistAlison Kruvant
Participants
19 high school students
Participatory Budgeting Banners
Boys Town residents developed a banner series for local
Participatory Budgeting sites. Boys Town youth not only
contributed their artistic skills but also advocated for
themselves and their communities during participatory
budgeting working groups. They engaged in discussions
about what resources would benefi t the community and
developed proposals with community members.
In collaboration with Boys Town New York and Councilmember Brad Lander
Medium & SizeThree acrylic on canvas banners, 8 x 4 ft each
LocationParticipatory Budgeting sites, 39th City Council District
Lead ArtistKatie Yamasaki
Assistant ArtistDonChristian Jones
ParticipantsEight Boys Town residents
98% of youth participants believe they will use skills learned at Groundswell in other aspects of their lives.
Through school-based mural residencies, Groundswell works in public
school classrooms to enhance the standard curricula and expose
young people to the arts while creating cross-disciplinary connections
between the arts and other academic disciplines. Groundswell is
also commissioned by community groups, non-profit organizations,
and public agencies to develop unique partnerships rooted in our
collaborative artmaking process.
“PE
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ANNUAL REPORT 2013 13
SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS
Peace Bridge
Through “Peace Bridge,” youth artists transformed
a pedestrian overpass connecting the Ingersoll and
Whitman residential communities. Their design
celebrates how the bridge connects and unifi es
these two communities.
In collaboration with NYC Department of Transportation, NYC Housing Authority, and The Urban Assembly School of Music and Art at Waters Edge
Medium & SizeAcrylic on Cement, 250 sq ft
LocationFleet and Navy Streets, Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Lead ArtistChris Soria
Assistant ArtistMarc Evan
Participants
12 high school students
Rebound and Rebuild
Groundswell artists met with a committee of young
adults representing the Red Hook Initiative to
explore the experience and impact of Superstorm
Sandy within the community. Then during a one
day mural painting event, Deloitte & Touche LLP
employees expressed their solidarity with Red Hook
through the creation of this mural.
In collaboration with Deloitte & Touche LLP and Red Hook Initiative
Medium & SizeAcrylic on canvas, 8 x 8 ft
Location767 Hicks Street, Red Hook, Brooklyn
Lead ArtistEsteban del Valle
Assistant ArtistDonChristian Jones
ParticipantsDeloitte & Touche LLP volunteers
Renewal and Rebirth
This mural offers solidarity around issues relevant
to the EBCHS community, such as environmental
pressures and stereotyping. It also celebrates the
students’ capacity to generate knowledge, power,
and justice. The mural is fi lled with hope and action,
and demonstrates that creative articulation brings us
closer to our dreams.
In collaboration with East Brooklyn Community High School
Medium & SizeAcrylic on parachute cloth, 10 x 15 ft
Location9517 Kings Highway, Canarsie, Brooklyn
Lead ArtistMisha Tyutyunik
Assistant ArtistJonita Griffith
Participants
Six high school students
Stewardship of NatureStudents refl ected on the diversity and beauty found in nature, and the benefi ts and challenges of living in harmony with the environment. To foster a connection to nature among their peers, they developed images to celebrate the many creatures and habitats found around the globe.
In collaboration with The Trust for Public Land and JHS 157
Medium & SizeAcrylic on Cement, 150 sq feet
Location55-63 102nd Street, Sunnyside, Queens
Lead ArtistJoel Bergner
Assistant ArtistOlivia Fu
Participants
Junior high school students
The City as Living Body
This mural was created for IDEAS CITY, a biennial
festival and conference series bringing together
arts, education, and community organizations
to collaborate around change. The artists were
interested in the similarities between a living
organism and a metropolis and how urban
stakeholders collaborate to share, grow, and thrive.
In collaboration with Chinatown YMCA, New Museum, and University Settlement
Medium & SizeAcrylic on Brick, 250 sq ft
Location273 Bowery, Lower East Side, Manhattan
Lead ArtistYana Dimitrova
Assistant ArtistEsteban del Valle
Participants
20 students from New Museum’s Global Classroom
The Four Elements
This mural was created to revitalize a neglected
school yard in a neighborhood with limited outdoor
recreation space. The mural contains imagery
representing earth, water, fi re, and wind, including
plants, birds, a volcano, and a dolphin.
In collaboration with The Trust for Public Land and JHS 162
Medium & SizeAcrylic on Brick, 250 sq ft
Location1390 Willoughby Ave, Bushwick, Brooklyn
Lead ArtistYana Dimitrova
Assistant ArtistJonita Griffith
Participants
15 junior high school students
Women in the Park
In partnership with Montefi ore Medical Center,
Groundswell artists collaborated with youth
recruited from Lehman High School to create a
mural celebrating health and wellness. The mural
was installed in the waiting area of a Montefi ore
community health center.
In collaboration with Lehman High School and
Montefiore Medical Center
Medium & Size
Acrylic on Wood, 4 x 8 ft
Location
3000 East Tremont Avenue, Schuylerville, Bronx
Lead Artist
Tanya Linn Albrigtsen-Frable
Participants
Six high school students
14 GROUNDSWELL
SPECIAL INITIATIVES
Each year, upwards of 30% of Groundswell mural apprentices are court-involved, wards of the state, over-aged and under-credited, or undocumented.
Driven by meaningful partnerships with alternative sentencing programs, city agencies, and educational institutions, Groundswell’s special initiatives serve a diverse community of young people and adults not engaged by our broader youth programs.
STREETWISE: HUNTS POINT
With support from the Rockefeller Foundation and its Cultural
Innovation Fund, Groundswell presented StreetWise: Hunts Point,
a two-year campaign designed to engage community members in
identifying transportation and related environmental concerns in their
South Bronx community through artmaking projects to recommend
design, signage, and policy solutions, in partnership with the NYC
Department of Transportation (NYC DOT).
In its second year, Groundswell engaged forty middle school students,
elderly residents, and young adults in the creation of a series of public
artworks, including original traffic safety signs which addressed local
traffic issues. The final project built on the preceding two years of
artworks and translated the community’s collective findings into a
culminating mural, entitled “Bronx Rising.”
“Bronx Rising” presents a community-inspired vision for Hunts Point
as a neighborhood on the rise, much as the phoenix rises from the
ashes to achieve new life. The mural illustrates prioritized policy
change suggestions, such as repainted bike lanes and way-finding
signage, for the NYC DOT.
At a moment in New York City when there are limited opportunities
for individuals to come together across racial, economic, and
generational divides to make change, StreetWise: Hunts Point provided
a unique opportunity for South Bronx community members to have
access to decision-making structures and the city’s agenda for their
neighborhood.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Each year, Groundswell presents a series of educational public art
tours to enhance the critical discourse around community-based
murals in New York City. Attendees learn more about the impact of
murals on the civic and visual landscape of their neighborhoods. Tours
often visit a mural-in-process worksite, to connect attendees to the
artists and young people behind their creation. In FY13, Groundswell
presented six educational tours, cultivating a new and diverse
audience for public art.
SAFETY SIGN INITIATIVE
Groundswell and the NYC DOT designed the Traffic Safety Sign
Residency Program to engage public school students in exploring
traffic safety information by creating original street signs. Signs
designed collaboratively by students at each of our partner schools are
digitally rendered by Groundswell artists, fabricated by the NYC DOT’s
Sign Shop, and temporarily installed at locations in need of signage.
Through this program, students learn how signs and symbols can work
to communicate ideas and explore visual art techniques to develop
graphic images. These signs then help increase safety awareness and
prevent accidents in locations around each school community.
In FY13, Groundswell and NYC DOT reached over 300 students at ten
schools and also engaged seniors at the Goddard Riverside Community
Center, a partnership which will serve as a model for continued
collaboration with seniors in the coming year. The Schomburg Center
for Research in Black Culture hosted a culminating event to celebrate
the work of these youth and seniors.
JUVENILE JUSTICE
Groundswell’s juvenile justice programming serves marginalized
young people involved at all stages of the criminal justice continuum.
Through sustained involvement, Groundswell positively affects their
growth and development while supporting them in avoiding recidivism.
Groundswell’s mural residency program for incarcerated youth is the
centerpiece of our juvenile justice offerings. Through this initiative,
Groundswell’s professional artists work with young people onsite
at public high schools within juvenile detention facilities. In FY13,
Groundswell completed our eighth mural onsite in secure facilities.
During FY13, 46 young people were sanctioned to Groundswell’s
TurnStyle program by the NYC Department of Probation, the NYS
Office of Children and Family Services, and our community partner,
the Center for Court Innovation. During court-mandated community
service hours at our studio, these youth completed basic office and
facilities maintenance tasks and developed work readiness skills.
Six of these young people transitioned to Segue, where they had
the opportunity to learn the skills necessary to participate in our
broader youth programs. In addition to young people transitioning
from TurnStyle, Segue also engaged teens referred to us by our social
service agency partners who expressed interest in developing art
skills.
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 15
SPECIAL INITIATIVES
“NE
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NS
AN
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ES
”
I have been continually impressed by
Groundswell’s success in engaging young people
in the creation of works of art that reflect their
concerns, their lived experiences, and their
values. Groundswell has introduced New York
City’s most underserved youth to the power and
potential of the visual arts to shape civic dialogue,
revitalize public space, and transform their lives.
Elizabeth Méndez-BerryProgram Officer, Thriving CulturesSurdna Foundation
Justice Mandalas
Court-involved youth in Groundswell’s Segue
program created a series of Tibetan-inspired
mandalas for the Brooklyn Detention Complex
exterior. Youth researched restorative justice:
seeking solutions that repair, reconcile, and
rebuild relationships. They visited the Rubin
Museum to learn about Himalayan art. The
fi rst mandala promotes compassion and unity
through portraiture set into a lotus fl ower design.
A second mandala continues this motif using
layered portraiture, the butterfl y, and the key.
In collaboration with Downtown Brooklyn
Partnership, NYC Department of Correction, and
NU Hotel Brooklyn
Medium & Size
Acrylic on parachute cloth, 90 x 18 ft
Location
275 Atlantic Avenue, Downtown Brooklyn
Lead Artist
Chris Soria
Participants
Youth in Groundswell’s Segue program
New Decisions and Second Chances
“New Decisions and Second Chances” was
created by young men at East River Academy
on Rikers Island. Through this project, the
incarcerated youth were able to take ownership of
their space and transform a blank hallway into a
celebration of their creative vision and generative
power. The mural design emphasizes the
potential to turn a new corner by making positive
decisions towards personal growth.
In collaboration with NYC Department of Correction
and NYC Department of Education
Medium & Size
Acrylic on Wall, 9 x 26 ft
Location
East River Academy, Rikers Island, New York
Lead Artist
Esteban del Valle
Assistant Artist
DonChristian Jones
Participants
Twelve incarcerated youth aged 16 – 18 years old
“JU
ST
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A”
16 GROUNDSWELL
OUR DONORS
Public Funders
National Endowment for the ArtsNew York State Council on the ArtsNew York City Department of Cultural AffairsNew York City Department of Youth and Community DevelopmentNew York State Assemblymember Joan MillmanNew York State Assemblymember Richard N. GottfriedMayor Michael R. BloombergBrooklyn Borough President Marty MarkowitzCouncilmember Sara M. GonzalezCouncilmember Letitia JamesCouncilmember Brad LanderCouncilmember Stephen LevinCouncilmember Darlene Mealy
Annual Campaign
$25,000 +
Bloomberg PhilanthropiesDavis, Polk & Wardwell LLPMarc Gross and Susan OchshornLambent FoundationLISC New York CitySurdna FoundationThe Pierre and Tana Matisse FoundationThe Rockefeller Foundation
$10,000 – 24,999
Altman FoundationCatskill Watershed CorporationCharles Lawrence Keith and Clara Miller Foundation Colgate ScaffoldingDavid Rockefeller FundDedalus FoundationJay Eisenhofer and Anne JamesonIrene B. Wolt Lifetime TrustSills Family FoundationSweet’N LowThe Bay and Paul FoundationsThe Beth M. Uffner Arts FundThe Lily Auchincloss Foundation
Variety The Children’s Charity of New York William T. Grant FoundationWinifred Johnson Clive Foundation
$5,000 – 9,999
Brooklyn NetsCon EdisonPatrick and Rebecca DahlstromJay DeDapper and Tod WohlfarthGoldstein Hall PLLCHayward IndustriesRob KrulakPomerantz, Grossman, Hufford, Dahlstrom, and Gross LLPSamantha RhulenShelley and Donald Rubin FoundationLeila Yassa and David Mendels
$1,000 – 4,999
Dana AlbarellaBenchmark Title Agency LLCMax and Dale BergerDan and Melissa BergerPeter BourbeauPeter Brodie and Corrine RodriquezBrooklyn Community FoundationRicardo CortésRobert and Lenore DavisRobert DeutschRobin Deutsch Edwards and David EdwardsEILEEN FISHERJay and Patricia FreemanCedric and Joanne GaddyGlancy Binkow and Goldberg LLCDidi Goldenhar and Bill KornblumDavid GoldsteinMaura GreaneyStanley and Nancy GrossmanHamlin VenturesChristine and Timothy HaneyJeanne Haney and Diego GomezJenny Holzer StudioPaula KrulakM&T BankSean MeenanMilton and Sally Avery Arts FoundationNathan and Fannye Shafran
FoundationJordan and Jean NerenbergJoanne Nerenberg and Aaron NaparstekNirit ResnickSagalyn Family FundPeter SananmanMichelle Scheer and John SiemerThe Ethel and W. George Kennedy Family FoundationWeaver Popcorn CompanySusan WeiswasserWells Fargo Advisors LLCRichard and Lisa Witten
$500 – 999
Amy Bohannon and Martin GilmoreJessica BynoeChris ChambersPaola CitterioNick Cope and Rachel MoslerNancy and Morris DeutschMenshahat EbronNeil FalconeFederated Title Services LLCStuart and Randi FeinerDiane FeirmanLeslie FindlenDeborah Fineman, Supreme Energy Inc.Sarah Frank and Andy OteskerElaine GoodmanNicolas Grabar and Jennifer SageKathleen Hackett and Stephen AntonsonMatthew and Annie HopkinsKaren Brooks HopkinsJames Jubak and Marie D’AmicoJulius and Evelyn Melnick FoundationMary Beth KellyAaron KoffmanEllen KozakMike LebowitzNatasha LoganMichela Martello and Mauro BaretiTrina and Robert McKeeverLesley Melincoff and Perry LeeAngelina MikeHerbert Milstein
Monadnock ConstructionLauren MorrellDavid Ochshorn and Allison BarlowAndrew PetronioMichael Ratner and Karen RanucciRitholz, Levy, Sanders, Chidekel, and Fields LLPElizabeth A. SacklerJoanna SamuelsMary SwartzThe Lillian Fund, IncJon Ulanet
$250 –499
Acquis Consulting Group LCCDina Bleecker and Jon ThompsonJanice Bloom and Adam GrumbachJason Cowart and Ana SalperOlivier DeHousseCarolyn DobbsTim and Jo DrescherFifth Avenue CommitteePeter FloreyDan Jacobson and Amy SumnerDemetrio KerrisonJenny LadenLegion PaperGina MaMichelle Matland and David KenerElisabeth Mueller and Gara LaMarcheTerri NainiStephen OlsonSteven Pavlakis and Bonnie MessingRadame PerezRobert Perry and Carolina Conde-PerryEileen and Peter RhulenErik RothmanAmy Sananman and Mauricio TrenardMichael SananmanElisa SananmanSydnee Sanchez and John JorglTara SansoneLauna Schweizer and Bill LienhardJeff Smith
Ron TabakYing TaoTransportation AlternativesFrancine WongEllen Yaroshefsky and Eric Paulos
$100 - 249
Rachel AdamsJoshua AdlerPaul AncewiczHarriet Barlow and David MorrisMeg Barnette and Brad LanderAdam BayroffAlbert BelmanMatthew and Elissa BernsteinKenneth and Lynn BlaydowAli BleeckerRonald and Ilene BlitzerEnrique and Jennifer BrecedaIsolde Brielmaier and Mangue BanzimaMichael BykofskyMichael CapobiancoMajora Carter GroupGregory Cohen and Viviane ArzoumanianMichelle De La UzPenelope DellJessica DellLisa DellerGetta and David DenhardtDennis DeutschNick DonovanLauren EstrinMorton and Rosalie FarberKirsten FatzingerAdam Fawer and Meredith DavisDarlene Freeman and Michael HussNina Goldman and Douglas LeggSidney and Susan GoldsteinEugene and Joan GoodheartSeth and Judith GreenwaldJames and Camilla HagyRobert HarwoodHester Street CollaborativeThomas HoughtonMarianna HoustonElizabeth Isakson and Gregg FatzingerDona KahnHiroko and Rich KarlenSharryn Kasmir and Benjamin Dulchin
Michael Koehler and Cara MetzDorchen LeidholdtAl and Emily LemerMadeleine LeMieux and Camden DailyKeith LulewichTara Mack and Gary YoungeJill and Alan MadnickLinda McNamaraMersel, Klein & Company LLPLloyd and Cassandra MetzElizabeth MillerGary MorgenrothMurals as VoiceFred Myers and Faye GinsburgAnita Nager and Wally WentworthGenevieve OutlawSharon Polli and Matt GunnLisa PongrassJennifer Pope and Rakesh MadhavaKatherine Randall and Stephen PredCarlos RemolinaEric Reschke and Lillian HopeBryony Romer and Josh MackWillson and Adrienne RoppShilu RoyJoan Shafran and Rob HaimesAnne and Jeff SmithLila StaabLawrence and Fran SucharowPilar TanMaureen TarulliJulia TraversEdwin TriestmanBarbara TurkUrban Justice CenterEric UsingerMarisa WallinHeidi WendorffEdward and Margaret WilliamsMariel WongKim and Maria YamasakiSusan and Lowell Yemin
Groundswell is grateful to all our
supporters. This list includes
gifts of $100 and above that
supported Groundswell’s FY13
activities.
88¢ of each dollar contributed directly supports Groundswell
Groundswell warmly thanks the following generous contributors.
16 GROUNDSWELL 90¢ of each dollar donated directly underwrites Groundswell’s programs.
ANNUAL REPORT 2013 17
GROUNDSWELL
FINANCIALS
88¢ of each dollar contributed directly supports Groundswell’s programs for NYC youth.
TEMPORARILY UNRESTRICTED RESTRICTED TOTAL
INCOME
Contributions $323,377 $432,214 $755,591
Fundraising Benefits 172,517 172,517
Less Direct Benefit Expenses (15,984) (15,984)
Donated Services,
Materials, and Supplies 68,623 68,623
Program Fees 280,899 280,899
Interest Income 7,749 7,749
Unrealized Gain on Investments (1,033) (1,033)
Other Income 1,592 1,592
Net Assets Released from Restrictions 387,528 (387,528) -
TOTAL REVENUE AND PUBLIC SUPPORT $1,225,268 $44,686 $1,269,954
EXPENSES
Program Services $860,665 $860,665
Supporting Services
Management and General 136,874 136,874
Fundraising 111,253 111,253
Total Supporting Services 248,127 248,127
TOTAL EXPENSES $1,108,792 $1,108,792
CHANGE IN NET ASSETS 116,476 44,686 161,162
NET ASSETS, BEGINNING OF YEAR 445,689 467,250 912,939
NET ASSETS, END OF YEAR $562,165 $511,936 $1,074,101
UNRESTRICTED
ASSETS
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Unrestricted $193,234
Board Designated Operating Reserve 210,628
Temporarily Restricted 193,000
Unconditional Promises to Give
Unrestricted 9,250
Restricted 244,214
Accounts Receivable 59,200
Prepaid Expenses 22,921
Investments` 153,602
Property and Equipment, at cost,
net of accumulated depreciation 105,977
Security Deposit 9,650
TOTAL ASSETS $1,201,676
LIABILITIES
Accounts Payable and Accrued Expenses $16,648
Refundable Advances 69,445
Deferred Revenue 10,000
Deferred Rent 31,482
TOTAL LIABILITIES $127,575
NET ASSETS
Unrestricted
Board Designated Operating Reserve $210,628
Other 351,537
Total Unrestricted 562,165
Temporarily Restricted 511,936
Total Net Assets 1,074,101
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS $1,201,676
INCOME $1,269,954
60% Contributions
12% Benefit
6% Interest, donated services, & other income
22% Program fees
EXPENSES $1,108,792
78% Program expenses
12% Management & general expenses
10% Fundraising & development expenses
Amy Sananman
Executive Director
Patrick Dougher
Program Director
Sharon Polli
Development and
Communications Director
Sophia Dawson
Office Manager
Chey Epps
Studio Assistant
Vanessa Hadox
Development and
Communications Associate
Daonne Huff
Project Manager
Jules Joseph
Youth Advocate
Groundswell
540 President Street, Suite 1A
Brooklyn, NY 11215
718.254.9782
www.groundswellmural.orgGR
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