ENGAGING CLIMATE CHANGE

MURAL APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

New Haven visual artists interested in developing professional mural making skills. 

Application period is now closed.

Compensation: approximately $1,500 per apprentice

Deadline: Application period is now closed.

Program Overview

The Mural Apprenticeship Program is a New Haven-based initiative designed to train working artists in the art of mural making.

The program is a hands-on learning experience over an immersive six-weeks of training. Apprentices will work alongside a professional teaching artist to gain on the job work experience with creating and installing a large-scale artwork at a local site in the city.

  • Apprentices will learn a variety of mural making techniques, working within a team structure, conducting site research, designing artwork for scale, & incorporating community input into the final design.

    For this inaugural program, the City of New Haven’s Cultural Affairs Department has partnered with three Yale graduate schools (School of Art; Architecture; Environment) as part of the Public Art as Solutions climate action initiative to increase public awareness and engagement with climate change. This partnership intends to make a commitment to nurture this art form and create the infrastructure needed to grow more mural making opportunities.

    With the backdrop of Climate Change, the program seeks artists who have an interest in addressing this issue, particularly how it impacts marginalized communities throughout New Haven. To further enhance the project, the final mural will be incorporating cooling paints that have UV reflective properties. Learn more about cooling paints here.

    The program will be taught by local artist Michael DeAngelo who has extensive experience in developing large scale murals in New Haven and around the country.

    • Techniques to scale artwork for large surfaces

    • Blending paint, priming, transferring, painting techniques, & sealing

    • Cutting clean edges and lines

    • Operate a lift safely

    • Site research & management

    • Mural design

    • Budget planning

    • Project proposals

    • Collaborating effectively to accomplish common goals

    • Creating artwork that brings public awareness about a specific topic

    • Installation strategy & logistics

Eligibility Requirements

  • Have limited or no previous mural experience, but a history of visual art-making is preferred (ie. street art, fine art, illustration, mixed media, drawing, painting, graffiti, etc).

  • Be at least 18 years of age

  • Live in New Haven, Connecticut

  • Be physically able to lift and carry material, climb ladders, paint large surfaces, and work outside.

  • Be willing to operate a lift, with supervision, that can go up to 3 stories high

  • Able to commit to minimum of 4 full days (days can be spread out) of solid work on site during final 3 weeks of the mural installation

  • Complete the online application form

  • Provide 3-6 work samples of artistic ability or a link to a portfolio website/social media page of artwork

Expectations and Time Commitments

  • Be present and on time for all required training sessions

  • Participate in all community workshops

  • Attend mural related events, including the unveiling celebration

  • Agree to be recorded and photographed for documentation purposes

  • To work collaboratively with others

  • Apply teachings from the trainings to support the installation of the mural

  • This is a 6-week commitment from May 27 - July 5

    • Weeks 1-3

      • 15-20hrs, meetings mostly after 4pm

      • Community engagement, design, and logistical training.

    • Weeks 4-6

      • Commit to a minimum of 4 full days (8hr days) per Apprentice during work week. The 4 days commit will be spread out during the final 3 weeks and in coordinate with the teaching artist.

      • Mural installation and community celebration

Mural Site

Mural Site

Mural Site Address

290 Goffe St, New Haven, CT 06511

This inaugural Mural Apprenticeship Program will be creating a large-scale mural at the New Haven Armory. The mural is intended to span the length of the building facade along County Street next to the community garden. The theme of the mural will be focused on Climate Change and rising temperatures in cities. The final mural will be incorporating cooling paints that have UV reflective properties. Learn more about cooling paints here.

The final design of the mural will be directed by the teaching artist, which will incorporate themes from community workshops, concepts from the apprentices, and feedback from a committee composed of Yale affiliates, community members, and city officials to establish a single mural composition.

Meet the Mural Comittee

  • Daniel Pizarro

    Program Lead / Artist & Designer

  • Mike DeAngelo

    Teaching Muralist, Artist, & Designer

  • Kymberly Pinder

    Dean, Yale School of Art

  • Karen C. Seto

    Frederick C. Hixon Professor of Geography and Urbanization Science, Director of the Hixon Center for Urban Sustainability, Yale University

  • Kim Futrell

    Community Outreach Coordinator, Arts, Culture and Tourism, City of New Haven

  • Elihu Rubin

    Associate Professor of Urbanism and American Studies, Yale University

  • Nadine Horton

    Founder, the Armory community garden

  • Colleen Murphy-Dunning

    Program Director, Hixon Center for Urban Sustainability, Urban Resources Initiative (URI); Lecturer in Urban and Community Forestry, Yale University

  • Annie Lin

    Project Specialist, Yale School of Art

  • Asha Ghosh

    Urban Program Manager, Yale School of the Environment; and Lecturer in the Practice, Yale School of Management

Climate action through public art