The artists Antonio Manuel Cruz (Tono), Giuliana Conte and Felo Monzón are painting a huge graffiti on the rear facade of the central building of the Centers of Art, Culture and Tourism of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, located on Triana Street in Arrecife these days. This is "The Mural", which aims to "create and raise awareness about the new situation and the challenges faced by young people living in a juvenile center when the legislation forces them to leave what has been their home until then."
The Social Welfare area of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, the CACT, the Arrecife City Council, the Obra Social La Caixa and the cultural and social association Trib-Arte have collaborated to launch this initiative which, within the IMAGO project and beyond its ephemeral nature, aims to "open paths and horizons to young people who have just left juvenile centers, and also to those who are living the last years in them." "Our duty is to accompany them in that universe of sensations that invades them and that starts from the fear of the unknown. Our commitment as a community is to simplify this transition and facilitate their integration into the social dynamics," says the Councilor for Tourism of the Cabildo of Lanzarote and president of the Board of Directors of the Centers of Art, Culture and Tourism, Echedey Eugenio.
A "door to hope"
The mural began to take shape several weeks ago, when the people in charge of Trib-Arte and the young people themselves brainstormed to define its theme. "We talked about concepts that, for them, are fundamental, such as overcoming fears and difficulties, and we came to the conclusion that the mural should be a door to hope and the creation of new opportunities thanks to unity and companionship." And they began to propose: "colors, shapes, spaces, races, birds...although, they all agreed that they wanted a sunrise," explains Silverio Campos, from Trib-Arte.
With the technical team already installed in the rear parking lot of the council building, last weekend began some works that will be extended, in principle, until next Thursday, May 28. "The three artists are great, and also, they are guiding and letting themselves be helped by some of the boys from the César Manrique Juvenile Center," he adds. The final image, which is beginning to glimpse now, is that of a group of young people, helping and supporting each other to make a human tower. "It's easier when you work as a team."
IMAGO Project
The mural is an activity of the IMAGO project, by Trib-Arte. This program develops a temporary accommodation resource in Lanzarote aimed at young people over 18 years of age who, previously, have been residing in a center supervised by the public administration until they reach the age of majority and who do not have economic resources or social and/or family networks that can support or welcome them.
Exceptionally, the program may include those young people who, without having been supervised by the public administration, have been under some measure of protection or protection by the public administration. Promoted by the Cabildo of Lanzarote, through the Department of Health and Social Welfare, and the Department of Social Welfare, Youth and Housing of the Government of the Canary Islands, as well as by the Obra Social "la Caixa"; indirectly, the different municipal administrations of Lanzarote through its service of Attention to Minors and Youth, as well as the Education and Youth service of the Cabildo and the Government of the Canary Islands, IMAGO aims to "develop the integral formation of each young person, favoring their empowerment when defining and guiding their life."
The socio-labor insertion is one of its fundamental pillars, making "special emphasis on the interrelation with the business fabric of the territory and the adaptation of the capacities and experiences of young people to the work environment," they point out. Thus, IMAGO focuses on the development of the autonomy of young people, through individualized educational projects in which aspects related to personal development, skills for finding and maintaining employment, support and social information, training activities and education in leisure and free time are worked on.
Trib-Arte, creative and also educational space
On the other hand, Trib-Arte is an entity of professionals from the social, educational and artistic fields that was born with the purpose of constituting itself as "a creative space that promotes the study, research and intervention of educational, cultural, social and artistic processes." It does so "fundamentally in the community sphere, from childhood, youth and family as well as from other groups and collectives, and with a markedly preventive and promotional character, both of citizen participation and of organizational processes of public and private entities."
Trib-Arte has an interdisciplinary team formed by social workers, social educators, pedagogues and fine arts professionals with proven experience in each of their fields and transversal areas. This approach is complemented by the promotion of actions and projects that have the relationship and the meeting as dynamizing elements of change and individual, group and community transformation.
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