Through a generous grant from the Arlington Cultural Council and the Arlington Center for the Arts, the Mystic LGBTQ+ Youth Support Network (Queer Mystic), an organization dedicated to providing services and support to the area’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer/questioning youth, and Bren Bataclan created a mural for the Housing Corporation of Arlington to display at the Arlington Food Pantry at 117 Broadway.
Anticipation is high as youth from the Mystic LGBTQ+ Youth Support Network prepare to unveil this new community mural
A public unveiling on Friday, June 3rd at the Arlington Food Pantry at 7:00 pm allowed community members to celebrate this piece of community-minded artwork.
The mural is unveiled!
Local artist Bren Bataclan, who is known for his “Project Smile,” a series of public-art installations encouraging people to smile at one another more often, and the gorgeous murals he has painted in several schools around the world, held two workshops with LGBTQ+ youth to design the mural together.
Bren Bataclan, in the early stages of painting.
The portable mural’s theme is “A Sharing Community” and was developed by the youth who attend a drop-in night every Friday at Arlington Center for the Arts.
Youth prepare ideas and sketches during one the Mystic LGBTQ+ Youth Support Network’s Friday Night Drop-In sessions!
Bataclan used the ideas and sketches that the youth created to make the layout for the final design. Elements of the design include a giant rainbow, happy carrots holding hands and pretzel love.
Bren Bataclan with Jeannette and Mykael Hawley, members of the Steering Committee for the Mystic LGBTQ Youth Support Network.
Thanks to everyone who made this community-minded mural possible – especially the Arlington Cultural Council, Bren Bataclan, and the wonderful youth of the Mystic LGBTQ+ Youth Support Network.
View Bataclan’s Project Smile here >>
See his video blog “Beanie and Bren,” which teaches painting techniques, here >>
