Hartford, CT — June 2, 2016 — A large-scale mural designed in part by local high-school students will be painted on a wall of The 224 EcoSpace, adjacent to the Knox Community garden, on 17 Niles Street, as the third in a series of six murals in Hartford intended to foster an environment and culture of nonviolence.
ThinKING Youth and community members gather at The 224 EcoSpace – site of the next Nonviolence Mural. From left to right: Michelle McFarland, Nickia McCalla, Ariel Brown, Tyrone Massey, Ricardo Crowe and Jasiman Mitchell
As summer approaches and the potential for violence increases, several groups are partnering to create a new vision for the city. The Connecticut Center for Nonviolence (CTCN) has launched a strategic collaboration with The 224 EcoSpace, a social enterprise of The Conference of Churches; Art of Tao LaBossiere LLC; and Step Up, Step Out: End the Culture of Violence. The groups are collaborating to create a large-scale Nonviolence Mural.
The mural is a demonstration of how the new vision can become real change in the city of Hartford. CTCN, in partnership with The 224, is hosting and facilitating Community Conversations with ThinKING Youth Nonviolence Leaders from Hartford area high schools on the Six Principles of Nonviolence, which will inspire the design. Renowned Hartford-based artist Tao LaBossiere will be the Artist-in-Residence, guiding the community in the design process.
This is the third Nonviolence Mural project that the CTCN has produced in Hartford as part of a larger concept to have each of the Six Principles of Nonviolence represented on murals throughout the city. The project is made possible by a generous donation from The Hartford.
Photo opportunity: Mural painting will take place, and people will be available for interviews at Saturday July 16, from 9:00-3:00pm rain date Sunday, July 17 same time.
About The CT Center for Nonviolence:
The Connecticut Center for Nonviolence (CTCN) is a leader in Nonviolence education. We are dedicated to bringing people from diverse communities together in dialogue and creative expression to explore the root causes of violence and to learn constructive methods of developing and applying alternative solutions. The Connecticut Center for Nonviolence promotes a comprehensive framework
About The 224:
The 224 is a social enterprise of The Conference of Churches. It is a 30,000 square-foot bustling EcoSpace in Hartford, CT, where artists, change agents and entrepreneurs work, create and lead. The building combines an art gallery, dance studios, banquet hall, and collaborative work space under one roof. For more information, visit The224.com
About Art of Tao LaBossiere:
The Art of Tao LaBossiere LLC is a creative services company, providing murals and public art to municipalities, restaurants, non-profit organizations and private art patrons. The Art of Tao LaBossiere is managed by husband-wife team Tao & Amy LaBossiere and based in Hartford, CT. Recent projects include “Welcome Home” at Scott’s Jamaican Bakery; “Smokehouse” at Bear’s Smokehouse BBQ Hartford; “Everlasting Spring in the Secret Garden” at Saint Mary Home, West Hartford; and “The Tap Room” at Still Hill Brewery, Rocky Hill. For more information, visit artoftaolabossiere.com or facebook.com/artoftao.
About Step Up, Step Out:
Step Up, Step Out (SUSO) is a ministry of Asylum Hill Congregational Church that is dedicated to reducing violence by putting their faith into action. The mission of SUSO is to stand with and for victims of violence through education, outreach and advocacy to transform our society’s culture of violence.