Contact Us to Coordinate a Youth Community Mural HERE!
Main IDEA partners with local artists to co-design and co-paint public wall murals in the city with neighborhood youth, facilitating hands-on learning opportunities for youth to learn directly from working artists and take agency and ownership of their community by sharing their voice and making their artistic mark in public spaces.
Social Justice Mural (1,000 sqft)
Boys & Girls Club of Worcester, MA
June, 2021
Lead Artist: Jennessa Burks
Assistant Artist: Eamon Gillen
Youth Artists: Sarai and Nya
Watch the mini documentary of the program HERE, and see more photos of the project HERE! This project is a partnership between Main IDEA and the Boys & Girls Club of Worcester. Youth ages 11-18 submitted design entries for the mural with the prompt, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” (MLK). 2 Youth Artists’ designs were chosen, and a youth arts team consisting of both Main IDEA Youth & B&G Club members worked together to co-paint the design along with the Lead & Assistant Artists. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Greater Worcester Community Foundation and by the Worcester Arts Council, a local agency, which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. See our press coverage of the project HERE!
Main South Community Youth Mural (800 sqft)
Main South Community Development Corporation, MA
Aug, 2021
Lead Artist: Jennessa Burks
Assistant Artist: Eamon Gillen
Youth Artists: Students from Main IDEA, Neighborhood Strings, and the Main South CDC
Learning First Charter Public School
Youth Mural (600 sqft)
Worcester, MA
Nov, 2023
Lead Artist: Jennessa Burks
Assistant Artist: Sharinna Travieso
This project is a partnership between Main IDEA and Learning First Charter Public School (LFCPS) The Lead Artist created a final design based on concepts submitted by youth and community participants of WCG, who held a creative discussion and created design ideas for the mural. The final design was painted by students of LFCPS, alongside the Lead and Assistant Artists.
King Community Center Youth Mural (200 sqft)
Worcester, MA
January, 2023
Lead Artist: Jennessa Burks
See more photos of the mural HERE! This project is a partnership between Main IDEA Worcester Common Ground. The Lead Artist created a final design based on concepts submitted by youth and community participants of WCG, who held discussions and submitted design entries for the mural with the prompt, “Home;” a Painting Team consisting of 7 youth from WCG worked together to co-paint the design onto a wall at their Community Center, alongside the Lead Artist.
WIC Community Youth Mural (600 sqft)
Worcester Islamic Center
Worcester, MA
October, 2022
Lead Artist: Jennessa Burks
See more photos of the mural HERE! This project is a partnership between Main IDEA and the Worcester Islamic Center (WIC). The Lead Artist created a final design based on concepts submitted by youth participants of WIC, who submitted design entries for the mural with the prompt, “You will not believe until you love for your Brother/Sister what you love for yourself.” -The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). A Painting Team consisting of 20 youth from WIC worked together to co-paint the design along with the Lead Artist. This project was supported in part by a grant from the Worcester Arts Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
University Park
Worcester, MA
August, 2017
Lead Artist: Jessica Richland
Youth Artists: 2017 Teen Arts Program – Javon, Haley, Maeve
Floor Mural
Boys & Girls Club of Worcester
August, 2022
Lead Artist: Jennessa Burks
Assistant Artist: May Bees, Summer Intern
Youth Artists: Youth participants of the Boys & Girls Club of Worcester
Social Justice Teen Mini-Mural Series
Worcester Public Library, MA (Teen Space)
June, 2021
Lead Artist: Jennessa Burks
Youth Artists: Worcester Public Library Teen Group
Reign Cafe
(DCU Center)
Worcester, MA
Oct, 2020
Lead Artist: John Vo
Youth Artists: Brook (13), Shaquone (18), Edna (15), Rylie (17), Brihana (17), Aiden (15), Leilah (14)
Over 65 youth submitted designs, and seven were chosen to implement into the final mural design, including youth from Main IDEA, the YWCA of Central Mass, South East Asian Coalition, The Hope Coalition, and Worcester Arts Magnet School. Special thank you to Mayor Joe Petty and Councilor Mero-Carlson for stopping by the mural to thank our artists! See press coverage of this project HERE!
University Park
(Jungle Gym)
Worcester, MA
May, 2018
Lead Artist: Hank VonHellion