The Office of the Bronx Borough President, NYC Department of Youth & Community Development, in conjunction with the New York Yankees, joined forces for the opening of an art exhibition showcasing the creative artworks of Bronx youth on display in the rotunda of Bronx Borough Hall.

 

“Never count out our Bronx youth and their ability to be creative!” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson of the exhibition. “At Bronx Borough Hall, we unveiled three murals from young Bronx artists that are on display this week in our rotunda.”

The exhibit, called “First Pitch,” is the work of 10 middle and high school students whose after-school programs were winners in a competition that invited 200 after-school programs to submit a social impact initiative that addressed violence and its effects on mental health. The competition was sponsored by NYC Department of Youth & Community Development and the New York Yankees with the purpose of using art as a catalyst for change.

 

Of the 24 that formally submitted their pitches, the three winners announced were The Claremont Neighborhood Center with their mural themed “Youth Violence and the Impact on Mental Health,” the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club with their mural themed “Violence Afflicted by Lack of Mental Health Intervention in Bronx Communities,” and Learning Through An Expanded Arts Program Incorporated with their mural themed “Silenced Violence: The Unspoken & Unresolved Issue.” 

According to authors, M. Ezell and M. Levy, (2003), for at-risk and justice-involved youths, the arts can provide an outlet for addressing emotional and/or problem behaviors through opportunities to learn new skills, develop new talents, and express thoughts and ideas in creative and therapeutic ways (Ezell and Levy 2003).

 

Similarly, according to author Donalyn Heise (2014), for youths dealing with trauma or victimization (including exposure to violence), the arts can help them to cope with painful experiences by fostering resiliency.

Meanwhile, according to authors, Nadine Van Westrhenen and Elzette Fritz, (2014), creating art can strengthen a youth’s problem-solving skills, autonomy, sense of purpose, and social competence. Moreover, art can help encourage positive emotions and strength, allowing youths to view themselves as survivors and not as victims. 

The organizers are reaching out to Bronx cultural institutions to find a permanent home for “First Pitch.” The artworks are roughly 9 feet by 10 feet in dimension, and the exhibition closed on Thursday, Dec. 21 at 1 p.m.