Developing ArtistS Murals & Alliances
Our History
Developing Artists Murals and Alliances formerly know as Dane Arts Mural Arts (DAMA) was developed in 2014 by Sharon Kilfoy, Director of the Williamson Street Art Center, and Mark Fraire, Dane Arts Director, provide access to art experiences to youth from underinvested communities in the City of Madison and Dane County. In 2016 DAMA became an independent 501c3c non-profit organization expanding its services to support local artists through training and youth leadership development through collaborative mural-making activities.
Every day, we see first-hand the power of art to change moods, improve attitudes and increase self-esteem. By providing access to arts education through mural-making activities, DAMA empowers artists to help youth and communities become happier, healthier, and more engaged. Each mural project presents a unique opportunity to address inequities and support unity by engaging at-risk 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.
Sharon Kilfoy, Director of the Williamson Street Art Center, is a local artist whose murals, fabric pieces, collages and assemblages are widely collected. Sharon has extensive experience teaching art to people of all ages and abilities. She has been a guest artist through numerous artist-in-residency programs in schools, neighborhood centers and communities throughout the Midwest and now in Mexico. Her background as a community artist combined with her formal training as a studio artist ensures that students have fun while they learn. Sharon specializes in bringing divergent people together through community art projects which focus on shared aspects of history and culture. In the classroom setting, she utilizes an endless variety of materials in a curriculum she has developed to bring out students’ innate artistic capabilities while they build confidence.
Sharon’s reputation as an art instructor is proven and respected. For more than 20 years she used art to build resiliency in troubled children at the Respite Center, a 24-hour emergency/crisis child care center in Madison Wisconsin. There, she developed a curriculum that uses art to help children recover from trauma. Sharon uses the knowledge she gained using art with troubled children, to ensure that all people who work with her experience art in a positive way.