groundswell 2013 annual report

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.


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.


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.

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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


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


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


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


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


Location710 Hartman Lane Far Rockaway, Queens


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


Location465 New Dorp Lane New Dorp, Staten Island


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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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


Look When Crossing,

UPPER WEST SIDE


Reach for the Stars,

JACKSON HEIGHTS


Respect: Embrace Your

Community, HUNTS POINT


Respect is Correct,

BENSONHURST


Safety Grows in Brooklyn,

BROWNSVILLE


Stop! School Ahead,

WESTCHESTER VILLAGE


The Fantastic Supersenses,

HARLEM


This is Our Safety Zone,

HUNTS POINT


Walk Wisely, HUNTS POINT


Watch Your Every Move,

WILLIAMSBURG


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

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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


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.

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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

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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


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.

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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


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


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


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.


SPECIAL INITIATIVES

“NE

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AN

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”

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

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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.


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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groundswell 2013 annual report

Documents

vision of community

vision of public art

groundswell youth

community partners

community activism

vision of youth development

public art projects

generated community