SXSW 2023
Using Art To Lift Homeless, Enhance Transit
Description:
Mural Arts Philadelphia’s innovative Color Me Back program offers people experiencing economic and/or housing insecurity an opportunity to make art, earn same-day pay and access social services. In partnership with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), the program reimagines the transit agency’s public spaces with a series of colorful murals adorning its walls and concrete columns. Participants in the program engage with outreach specialists who link them with support services, including social and behavioral health services and potential longer-term employment. Learn how Color Me Back positions art as a catalyst for change to create healthier, stronger and more beautiful communities.
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Takeaways
- Unique partnerships between transit, arts and social service organizations addresses social challenges, creating more equitable communities for all.
- Reimagining great public spaces can enhance the transit experience and enable artists experiencing financial instability to earn same-day wages.
- Transportation not only connects people to places; it also connects community-based resources to those in need.
Speakers
- Leslie S. Richards, CEO and General Manager, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA)
- Jane Golden, Founder, Executive Director, Mural Arts Philadelphia
- Nadia Malik, Porch Light Program Director, Mural Arts
Organizer
Leslie S. Richards, CEO and General Manager, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA)
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