San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
ART THERAPY TO GUIDE NEW MURAL AT CHULA VISTA PARK
Art therapy with community members will guide the formation of a new mural at one of the few green spaces in Chula Vista’s southwest region.
Lauderbach Park, on Oxford Street near Third Avenue, offers a playground, picnic area, basketball court and a large open field. By the end of the year, the 4-acre park is expected to don a colorful art piece created by residents who will have spent time fostering self-esteem and brainstorming a design that’s representative of their community.
“When we think about murals, it’s very cut and dry. But we’re trying to introduce something different that has a healing component, storytelling component and listening component,” said Berenice Badillo, an art therapist with art collaborative XOQUE-ART in Motion.
She and four other community artists with XOQUE have partnered with the
Chula Vista-based nonprofit SBCS to carry out the mural project thanks to nearly $40,000 in state grant funding. Monies will cover materials and community engagement sessions facilitated by art therapists.
The nonprofit’s grant allocation was part of $72 million in grant funding the California Arts Council awarded in 2022 to support artists, culture bearers and cultural workers. Last year’s investment is considered the largest in the Council’s 46-year history, which was largely funded by a $40 million onetime boost the state allocated for in its 2021-22 budget.
“We are delighted to receive this award and bring the mural project to fruition,” Kathryn Lembo, president & CEO of SBCS, said in a statement. “The arts are a powerful source for good in our community, enabling us to inspire hope and bring people together. We are thrilled to continue our important work in South Bay, and are grateful for the youth and resident leaders who are championing this effort. These dynamic leaders will be commemorated in the mural for their dedication and contributions.”
Next month, the multiphased project will kickstart with community workshops, said Badillo.
XOQUE wants to first bring people of different ages and backgrounds together “so that we are hearing their specific needs and their specific visions,” she said.
“We’re not only giving them tools and the steps on how to create a mural, but also in how to dialogue with each other, how to express your feelings, how do you validate the people within your group and how do you move it into a larger community space so that there’s inclusion,” Badillo added.
What community members express during the workshops will guide a collective design and size for the future mural, she said.
The artists and SBCS have until the end of the year to complete the project with community members.
tammy.murga@sduniontribune.com