Facts for You

Where is there a mural to look at?
Our first mural is at Palm Lane and 36th Street in Phoenix, AZ

Who do I contact if I am interested in doing a group project?
Please contact us at (602) 510-3064 or (623) 670-8078, write us at the address on this newsletter, visit us at our website at: www.breakingupwalls.org, or you can always reach us at our email: Beth@breakingupwalls.org.

Who is eligible to paint on the wall?
Everyone is welcome to participate. We are searching out groups who want to stretch themselves and to blend ideas on the project.

Why would this be a good project for my classroom or group?
The length and size of a unity wall enables a classroom to become involved in the whole process from conception to finished project. Any group benefits from joining together on a painting of this size.

Who benefits from doing a unity wall?
Everyone can visually enjoy the finished wall. All the participants leave with a true sense of harmony and achievement. The community becomes involved and beautified as the wall takes shape. Sponsors are rewarded by doing something worthy of respect for their community and receive tax benefits.

How many people paint on a wall at one time?
How many people will be on a wall depends on the size and the location of the wall and the detail of the drawing.

Who organizes all of this and supervises the participants?
Each group and their leaders will be asked to meet the Breaking Up Walls staff prior to the start date. The groups meet one another and help to design and plan the art for the wall. Our artist combines the artwork of all of the participants into a cohesive mural.

At an additional meeting the participants see what their mural will look like. In a meeting that just before the painting of the mural, all instructions will be handed out and questions will be answered. The week before the mural work is to be done, our artist prepares the wall and sketches out the work to be done. On the day of the painting, Breaking Up Walls staff, parents, and other adults supervise the painting.

What is the meaning of all this?
Our intent is for two diverse groups to come together and work side by side to design and paint the mural. In the several meetings between the artwork they create and the completed wall, two groups of people who are very different find out that they have much more in common than they ever imagined. They find out that people are people, wherever you find them. They learn that they can persevere and create something beautiful and lasting. They break up the walls of cultural difference and learn to see the world in a different light. The mural is a lasting reminder of success and relationship.

Do we get paid for painting?
No. Breaking Up Walls is a nonprofit organization and your participation is voluntary. Most people find that the experience is more valuable than pay.

How are people selected for a wall?
The first step is contacting Breaking Up Walls. Our staff will guide you through the process of finding a wall in your neighborhood, gaining owner permission, and finding another group to work with. We may even have another group waiting for YOU, or a wall-in-waiting. If not, we'll shepherd you through the experience. We want everyone who wants to be a part of a wall event to be able to participate.

Who can work on a wall with us?
Anyone can assist with the mural on the day of painting as long as their names have been put on the roster the Breaking Up Walls Monitor has for that day.

How long do the walls take to paint and how long do they stay up?
The amount of time it takes to paint a mural is determined by the size of the wall and the complexity of the design. On the average, a mural takes about four months from the first meeting to the completed wall. Most walls are painted in one day. They remain in the community indefinitely as beautification and a reminder of neighborhood unity.