Developing ArtistS murals & Alliances | DAMA
Mission & Vision
Developing Artists Murals and Alliances, formerly known as Dane Arts Mural Arts (DAMA), was founded by Sharon Kilfoy, Director of the Willy Street Art Center, and Mark Fraire, Director of Dane Arts, in 2014. In 2016 DAMA became an independent 501c3 non-profit organization to beautify neighborhoods throughout Dane County by engaging youth and community members in all aspects of the collaborative mural-making process.
DAMA's mission is to foster youth development through collective art experiences and to train local artists to stabilize and sustain community transformation processes.
DAMA's vision is to provide access to arts education through mural-making activities, to empower artists to support youth, and for communities to become happier, healthier, and more engaged.
As a public art program, we strive to level the playing field by providing artistic opportunities to urban and rural youth who may have limited access to arts education. At DAMA we know that hands-on mural-making activities improve mental and physical wellness in ways that inform and positively impact students’ academic achievements and job readiness skills.
Each DAMA mural project presents a unique opportunity to address inequities and support unity by engaging youth, developing neighborhood partnerships, and inviting community members to participate in each step of the collaborative process. Each mural represents the hard work and vision of the youth and communities who work alongside DAMA artists. Community participants benefit from the ownership of the public art in which they are fully a part. The mural is a reminder of their goals and successes.
DAMA CREATES COMMUNITY THROUGH MURAL MAKING
DAMA artists evenly divide their attention between creating meaningful works of art and transforming lives. They strive to keep an equal balance between product and process. Through the mural-making process, artists positively engage youth, many of whom lack opportunity. Our program is designed to help close the opportunity and achievement gaps that limit the ability of Dane County youth—especially those of color—to envision and attain successful futures in their own hometowns.
The same limitations to quality arts programs impact our rural communities as well as poorer inner-city communities. DAMA community artists address the disparities and lack of access to arts programs in both rural and urban Dane County. Art is the tool used to address youth self-affirmation, community engagement, and urban decay.
DAMA MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF YOUTH
DAMA engages students and other youth through project-based learning so as to help increase school attendance and improve outcomes in other areas of life. Data from alternative high school programs shows increased attendance for students who participate in our mural activities.
DAMA gives youth the opportunity to train alongside community muralists. Depending on the skill level of youth, perhaps some will become community artists themselves; others might learn to be able to paint murals or install mosaics commercially; while others might merely learn how to show up regularly – and on time – for a job. The acquisition of job-readiness skills is a major goal for youth. We have devised simple pre- and post- tests which show positive outcomes for participating youth.
Our curriculum is “emergent.” This means that our curriculum is based on the learning goals for youth, not merely on the mural project or projects themselves. The curriculum “emerges” as we get to know a specific participant and build a relationship with him or with her.
We use a trauma-informed curriculum in our work with youth. The first component of our curriculum is to give youth the chance for a degree of recovery from trauma and the ability to feel safe. The second component of our curriculum is to give youth the opportunity to express their feelings and find their own voice. The third component of our curriculum is the development of social skills. Artists model cooperative interaction in their work as community artists. They foster problem solving skills in youth, and are experts in changing negative behavior into positive behavior. They foster the resilience that helps youth learn to make a rewarding place for themselves in the world.
To successfully teach the emergent curriculum at DAMA, our community artists are firmly grounded in their knowledge of adolescent development. They are aware of the different stages of childhood and young adulthood, and know particularly how people at different stages react differently to stress. Community artists are prepared to respond to the “teachable moments” that participants present.
DAMA has an integrated approach to learning. We provide youth with a learning environment in which developmentally appropriate goals are integrated on an individual basis with the creation of murals. Some of the learning goals our artists integrate into their work are:
Fostering a positive self – identity and sense of emotional well – being
Encouraging thinking, reasoning, questioning and experimenting
Encouraging language and other expressive development
Developing social skills and knowledge
Encouraging creative expression, representation and appreciation for the arts
Fostering respect for cultural diversity
DAMA artists encourage youth to take initiative and to make real choices that involve their lives. They give power to youth by helping them have their voices heard and develop skills in real life situations that perhaps have never been equaled for them in the classroom. Our goal is to make each moment count and make the learning real.
DAMA CREATES PLACE-MAKING IN DANE COUNTY
DAMA has a strong place-making component. One of the most effective ways to engage youth is to help them forge strong connections with their neighborhoods and communities. Helping to beautify their neighborhoods and communities through the creation of murals instills a sense of pride in the participants. Many of Madison’s neighborhoods and Dane County’s communities are pleasant, walkable areas. Others, though, are sadly devoid of art or much that is humanizing. DAMA is working to change that for as many neighborhoods and communities as possible.
DAMA DESIGNS OUR MURALS TO LAST
It is our intent to create murals designed to last as long as possible. We strive to ensure the longest possible life for our projects by engaging in “best practices” in all technical aspects of the mural making process. We update our knowledge and skills through ongoing communication with the best mural programs in the country. We work to determine reasonable expectations for the life of each work we create. We build maintenance plans into each project.