Walls of Hope Canada engages and empowers youth by using art as a tool to explore social issues, inspire creativity, celebrate diversity, and build community. Youth work collaboratively to design and implement multi-media art and public awareness projects. Youth of all ages, backgrounds and abilities work together to share their visions for the city/world.
The project was originally conceived by local artist, Julie Jarvis, and Argentine artist, Claudia Bernardi (who met at a youth arts conference in Northern Ireland in 2006). Working together, they saw an opportunity to use their experience to support young people and promote meaningful dialogues across the Americas and around the world.
The first Walls of Hope Canada project, called Walls of Sorrow/Walls of Hope, was launched in January 2008, when a team of 7 youth began working with local community artist Julie Jarvis to plan and recruit youth for the project. By April they had gathered 35 youth (ages 13 to 24) from different parts of the GTA (including, First Nations, newcomers, trans and queer youth, street-involved youth, and youth with intellectual disabilities) to build a multimedia art installation on poverty, war, and discrimination.
Inspired by Claudia Bernardi’s work with youth in war-affected-countries around the world, and supported by a team of local and international artists, the youth met on weekends at partner sites, Sketch and the Art Gallery of Ontario to create a multi-faceted installation that combines sculpture, poetry, dance, theatre, video, sound sculpture, and painting.
Youth and artist facilitators brought issues and research about massacres and civil war in Central and South America, genocide and poverty in Africa, discrimination and residential schools in Canada. The group also looked at resistance art and its impacts on the world.
The project created a safe space for youth to dialogue and share their experiences through art. As Jessica writes, “Even though I am only 14, I feel that my voice can finally be heard. I was given the chance to be heard here in my city.”
In building the installation together, the youth had an opportunity to explore and express talents and share their aspirations with the world.
As one youth writes ” A large percentage of today’s at-risk-youth only have media and their environment to raise them, leaving them vulnerable to ignorance. Programs like this raise awareness of issues that go beyond any they’ve encountered before”.
As creators and visionaries of the 'Walls of Sorrow/Walls of Hope' project, the youth became leaders of a unique partnership that crosses sectors, communities and countries.
As creators and visionaries of the 'Walls of Sorrow/Walls of Hope' project, the youth became leaders of a unique partnership that crosses sectors, communities and countries.
Together they used(and continue to use) art as a way to build bridges of diplomacy and understanding locally and with areas of the world deeply affected by war and the painful transition in the aftermath of war.
Rachel (age 14) said she hoped that when people walk into the installation space they would feel ‘power’ - a sense that ‘ I can do something’. ‘I can change the world’.
Videography
The Walls of Hope project video and installation video where filmed and edited entirely by youth apprentices from Sketch.
Food
Food is an integral part of Walls of Hope Canada projects – nurturing our community as we work together. Foods are prepared by youth and artists from different cultural traditions and served with an artistic twist. Imagine fruit mandalas, and soups and snacks that sing.
Exhibits, Conferences & Public Talks
Gratitude
The Walls of Sorrow/Walls of Hope project is possible because of the generous support from the Ontario Arts Council, the Laidlaw Foundation, The RAFT, community partners (Sketch, AGO, PCWF, De-ba-jeh-Mu-jig Theatre Group, Centre for Spanish Speaking Peoples) volunteers, and many private donors.
