The Wynwood Walls Foundation has significantly expanded its community partnerships, building upon its initial collaboration with Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) Miami to include Breakthrough Miami, AileyCamp, Lotus House, Museum of Contemporary Art at North Miami, and the Miami-Dade County Public School System. Aligning with its ultimate mission, the Wynwood Walls Foundation’s initiatives reflect its goal of providing educational programming and opportunities for underserved youth artists to expand their creative abilities.
“The Wynwood Walls has been a beacon of hope and inspiration since its inception, catapulting careers, inspiring millions of visitors, and celebrating the genre of street art around the world,” said Jessica Goldman Srebnick, co-founder of the Wynwood Walls Foundation. “It seems only natural to broaden its footprint of creativity by supporting organizations that share in our desire to improve the quality of life of others through a multitude of art forms. In doing so, we hope to bring joy to our greater community. We couldn’t be more excited to expand the reach of the Wynwood Walls with the Foundation.”
“For decades it has been our mission to feed neighborhoods with art, color and energy to make them friendlier and safer places for people to live, work and play,” shared Janet Goldman, co-founder of the Wynwood Walls Foundation. “With the Wynwood Walls Foundation, we have created an opportunity to feed the human spirit within those communities.”
Just as Wynwood Walls has inspired artists and visitors to become agents of change, the Wynwood Walls Foundation seeks to inspire solutions to the challenges facing local Miami families. The Foundation has established an art department at BBBS headquarters and continues its outreach through the following partnerships:
Miami Dade County Public School System: The Wynwood Walls Foundation works with the MDCPS system to provide transportation for children to enjoy free tours and experiences at the Wynwood Walls.
AileyCamp Miami: The Wynwood Walls Foundation supports the work of AileyCamp Miami, a full scholarship, six-week summer program for middle school students ages 11-14. The program strives to provide a safe and artistic environment for students to take various styles of dance, while also learning about nutrition, conflict resolution, drug prevention, critical thinking, and other life skills in personal development, all while having fun and exploring their creative spirit. Just as the Wynwood Walls believes that art is for everyone, “Alvin Ailey believed that dance is for everybody.” This program uses the power of dance to enrich and positively impact the lives of children. The Foundation sponsors students for each summer session.
Breakthrough Miami: Providing an academic enrichment program that uses a unique “students-teaching-students” model to ensure that motivated, under-resourced 5th to 12th graders have access to excellent education opportunities, the Wynwood Walls Foundation sponsors field trips for scholars throughout the year.
Lotus House: Sheltering thousands of women, youth and children annually, Lotus House is the largest shelter for women and children in the country and is based in the neighboring community of Overtown. The Wynwood Walls Foundation funds the Mental Health Therapy Through Art program.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami: Continuing its extraordinary partnership with BBBS, the Wynwood Walls Foundation serves as the Title Sponsor for the annual BBBS fundraising gala. The Foundation has added murals to the BBBS Headquarters by outstanding Wynwood Walls artists. The large-scale murals are an inspiring and colorful addition to the spaces utilized by the “littles” on a daily basis.
Museum of Contemporary Art at North Miami: The Wynwood Walls Foundation sponsors Mural Week at the MOCA Summer Art Camp for students ages 6 to 13. MOCA’s annual multi-week Summer Art Camps provide students with hands-on artmaking experiences, including access to digital art tools and advanced art and design projects. The Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami (MOCA) has been dedicated to presenting contemporary art and its historical influences through exhibitions, educational programs, and collections. Inspired by its surrounding communities, MOCA connects diverse audiences and cultures by providing a welcoming place to encounter new ideas and voices and nurturing a lifelong love of the arts.