CITYarts 50 States of Peace
Peace Walls
Harlem, NY - #1
This 213-foot-long permanent mosaic wall, at the Jacob H. Schiff Park in Harlem, is one of CITYarts’ most recognizable projects due to its scale and international scope.
The mosaic project was an integral part of CITYarts’ first international youth-led initiative, CITYarts Pieces for Peace. Launched in 2004, CITYarts Pieces for Peace enables youth ages 12 to 20 from the U.S. and around the world to share their visions for a more peaceful future and to translate those ideas into personal works of art.
Representative images and poems were incorporated into the design of the Jacob H. Schiff Park mosaic wall, under the artistic direction of the award-winning children’s illustrator and artist Peter Sís.
In Summer 2024, CITYarts worked with the NYC Parks Department and artist Elina Rosenblum to restore the wall.
Anaheim, CA - #2
CITYarts worked in collaboration with students at Gilbert High School, teacher Janelle Frese, and artist Jame Kough to create this meaningful mural to encourage peace within the Anaheim community. This process engaged students in research, investigation and collaboration around the idea of peace. The final design is student-driven, and each image and color has meaning. Imagery in the mural, such as the images within each drum in the drum circle, was taken directly from students' CITYarts Pieces for Peace artworks.
The CITYarts Pieces for Peace Exhibition of artworks from around the world was also displayed in California as part of this project. Janelle Frese was recently interviewed by CanvasRebel and shared that "The most meaningful project I have worked on to date is the CITYarts Peace Wall at Gilbert High School in Anaheim." Read the full interview here.
Bethlehem, PA - #3
CITYarts is working in collaboration with Moravian University, artist Matt Halm, and students from local schools to create a mural honoring peace as part of the CITYarts 50 States of Peace initiative. Students are working under Matt Halm’s guidance to paint the mural on parachute cloth, which will be adhered to a wall in the community. The mural takes inspiration from students’ CITYarts Pieces for Peace artworks. In November of 2022, Bethlehem, PA hosted the CITYarts Pieces for Peace Exhibition.
A ribbon cutting ceremony for this mural is scheduled to take place on September 7th, 2024. An invitation to the event will be sent soon.
New Haven, CT - #4
CITYarts is producing and creating a peace mural in collaboration with youth and community members from New Haven, CT through a partnership with Creative Arts Workshop (CAW), Yale School of Art, and community representative Lee Cruz. Local artist Mitchell Rembert is leading youth and local volunteers in painting the mural. The mural is being painted on the wall of the Fair Haven Branch of the New Haven Free Public Library. The full project includes CITYarts Pieces for Peace workshops, an exhibition of youth artworks, and a public art peace mural. Youth developed ideas for the mural focused on the theme of peace.
New Haven was chosen to represent the state of CT in the CITYarts 50 States of Peace initiative and will specifically highlight its collaboration with the local community. This project aims to bring attention to New Haven, CT as one of the cities on the registry of the United Nation’s International Association of Peace Messenger Cities. CAW hosted workshops with community artist Michell Rembert and Yale MFA artist Lauren Flaaen. CAW and the Fair Haven Library have both hosted the CITYarts Pieces for Peace traveling exhibition.
See press coverage from our work in New Haven here.
Cleveland, OH - #5
CITYarts is working in collaboration with students and staff from Garrett Morgan High School on creating a CITYarts Peace Wall in Cleveland, OH on the wall of a DuPont building across from the school.
Read our press release from the CITYarts Pieces for Peace Exhibition at 78th Street Studios in Cleveland here.
Memphis, TN - #6
CITYarts is working in collaboration with Dr. Melissa Collins, the 2022-23 Tennessee Teacher of the Year and several Memphis schools to create a CITYarts Peace Wall.
Read our press release from the CITYarts Pieces for Peace Exhibition at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library’s Goodwyn Gallery in Memphis here.