Piece by Piece Unveils Mosaic Mural Created by South Los Angeles Residents

A block wall is reclaimed as mosaic art in effort to build creative economy in South Los Angeles

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Los Angeles — Piece by Piece has long held a weekly workshop at Broadway Village II (51st and Broadway), free to local residents with support from the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department.

Grant funding from the California Arts Council made possible a project of grand scale with workshops throughout the community culminating in the unveiling of a 40 foot mosaic mural. "Broadway Blooming" will permanently adorn a garden space at Broadway Village II, a residential complex housing low-income families. The Blooms project is part of a larger effort to build creative economy in South Los Angeles by uplifting local Artisan talent and creating opportunities for entrepreneurial success.  In addition to support from the Council the project was seeded with funding from the Creative Economic Development Fund.

Blooms on mesh were created in workshops by residents of all ages. As part of a cultural exchange, blooms by street children in Rio de Janeiro were mailed in by artist Chris Piloto. 

The wall has been transformed with mosaics made from recycled tile, dishes and other materials. Drought tolerant plants complete the garden bed.

Piece by Piece Artisans, low-income residents of South Los Angeles and Skid Row who have attained Artisan-level skill through the Piece by Piece program, worked to design the final   installation, an expressive work that conveys the creative assets of the community. An October 16 celebration is planned for the unveiling.

Piece by Piece committed its artistic staff and studio resources to the Project. Ron Finley Project led collection of donated plants. Deep Green Housing and Community Development Corporation, operator of the Broadway Village II affordable housing complex provided the soil and mulch needed to revive the garden's bed.

Piece by Piece has since 2008 offered a weekly workshop at Broadway Village II, funded in part by the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs.  With support from the California Arts Council Creative California Communities program, open workshops held in multiple locations throughout South Los Angeles and Skid Row engaged residents in creating blooms. 

More than 300 volunteers pitched in. View images and video of workshops, blooms, and mural installation at www.piecebypiece.org and at facebook.com/piecebypiecela and instagram.com/piecebypiecela.  

Piece by Piece is a non-profit organization operating in South Los Angeles and Skid Row to fulfill its mission to provide low-income and formerly homeless people free mosaic art workshops using recycled materials to develop marketable skills, self-confidence, earned income and an improved quality of life. Learn more at www.piecebypiece.org.

Deep Green Housing and Community Development is a non-profit corporation that has been assisting families through provision of affordable housing since its inception in 1990.  Our objective is to develop services-enriched housing that will help families combat chronic poverty, welfare dependency and homelessness.  www.deepgreenhousing.org

The Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs generates and supports high quality arts and cultural experiences for Los Angeles’ 4 million residents and 25 million annual visitors. DCA advances the social and economic impact of the arts and assures access to arts and cultural experiences through grant making, marketing, public art, community arts programming, arts education, and partnerships with artists and cultural organizations in neighborhoods throughout the City of Los Angeles. www.culturela.org

The Mission of the California Arts Council, a state agency, is to advance California through the arts and creativity. The Council is committed to building public will and resources for the arts, fostering accessible arts initiatives that reflect contributions from all of California's diverse populations, serving as a thought leader and champion for the arts and providing effective and relevant programs and services. www.arts.ca.gov.

The Creative Economic Development Fund is a newly launched program that provides funding for projects that will help launch startup ventures and expand micro-sized creative enterprises. Piece by Piece is an inaugural recipient of a grant from the Fund to  use commercial strategies in pursuit of a social or community impact objective.

The Center for Cultural Innovation promotes knowledge-sharing, networking, and financial independence for creative entrepreneurs by providing business training, grants, and incubating innovative projects that create new program knowledge, tools, and practices. www.cciarts.org.