Charity Fundraisers: Wall Murals, Windows, Children And Murals Of Hope

There is little that has the ability to emotionally move someone like art, and of one of the most effective forms of artwork is the mural. These large, striking paintings are not only breathtaking, but often they convey important messages to those who see them. In the past decade, there has been a growing movement of charity fundraisers that are bringing murals to people all over the United States. As the movement grows, new charity fundraisers would do well to see how mural projects of the past have flourished.

It is important during charity fundraisers to find ways to appeal to a community, and one of the best ways to connect to any community is to connect to the children in it. Toronto's annual DiscoverAbility Children's Arts and Athletic Charity Gala Festival, which dates back to 2000, is a great idea for other charity fundraisers to take up. This fund raiser has children create individual works as well as group murals to auction off during the week long event. The children are aided and instructed by the Discover Ability program in making their wall murals, creating an atmosphere of learning and giving that other charity fundraisers should aspire to. Proceeds the charity fundraisers make at this festival are split between the child artist's favorite charity and Discover Ability, Inc., which is a certified charity itself. A child wall mural is both encouraging to the young artist and designer, and in this case, it is also a way to support several good causes.

Merced College at Los Baños is using a strategy that many charity fundraisers should find helpful. The college has commissioned a wall mural to be built to depict the town's history, and a collection of six by six inch ceramic tiles will be used to create a border. Each tile is for sale, and a patron will have the ability to put their name, the name of a loved one, or a business on their purchased tile. This is a great way to get a community to feel a sense of contribution and pride in a mural, something charity fundraisers will find very valuable. By directly adding something personal to a project, a person's connection grows exponentially. Charity fundraisers may find that this approach provides a great way to raise money and create something truly diverse.

Charity fundraisers that are looking to incorporate murals need only look at the "Murals of Hope" project in Chula Vista, Calif., to see the effect a mural can have on a community. In 2001, Thurgood Marshall Elementary School received the very first child wall mural from the "Murals of Hope" project. Devised by Raul Espinoza of nearby Southwestern College, the "Murals of Hope" project is meant to inspire children during a time when there is a great deal of tragedy in the world. The child wall mural took nearly six years to complete, incorporating the ideas and talents of the students as well as local college students in Espinoza's classes. The final mural depicts an oak tree flanked by a sunrise and sunset, and decorated by the flags of many nationalities at the base, with a larger American flag nestled in its branches.

Another type of mural charity fundraisers should consider are window murals, which are works and depictions that cover windows. Catholic Charities, Diocese of Des Moines, is using window murals not as a piece to auction or sell, but rather as a way to help advertise their goals and purpose. Often large and colorful, window murals and other murals have a unique eye catching ability for charity fundraisers to utilize. Charity fundraisers can really draw in a crowd by using a striking mural to show their intentions and promote their cause.

Charity fundraisers will find that murals in any form are a great way to raise money. Whether it is in the actual construction of the mural as a gift to a community, or whether the mural itself will be auctioned or sold for another cause, a mural is a versatile asset to charity fundraisers. No matter the cause, a mural associated with any charitable event is a lasting and heartfelt work that any person or community will treasure.


Sources:
About Us. DiscoverAbility. 25 June 2007. http://www.discoverability.com/about_us1.htm.
School Description. Thurgood Marshall Elementary School. 25 Sept. 2006. 25 June 2007. http://www.cvesd.org/marshall/school-info.aspx
2006 Mission Integration Statement, Catholic Charities, Diocese of Des Moines. Catholic Charities. 2006. University of Notre Dame. 25 June 2007.
http://www.nd.edu/~cba/cc/pdf/Des%20Moines%20200 6%20Mission%20Integration%20Project%20Report.pdfMerced College Los Banos Campus Mural Fundraiser. Merced College.Merced Community College District. 25 June 2007. http://www.mccd.edu/off_campus/los_banos/mural.htm l