Mural in Motion

A Super-sized Projection Mural Shows the Power of Partnerships, Technology and Student Creativity

What happens when you bring students from different parts of a city together, give them a creative challenge, and provide the teachers and tools they need to make it happen? 

In Philadelphia, the answer is Mural in Motion, a supersized, student-created projection mural slated to air on the exterior wall of the Fabric Workshop and Museum Building at 1214 Arch Street on Sunday, June 26, 2011 at 8:30 pm. 

The project is a collaboration between students at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy (SCH Academy) and the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program.  Students from both organizations have unleashed their own artistic potential to produce this exotic 40- by 100-foot sensory explosion.

Using a full suite of professional software tools—GarageBand with Jam Packs, Final Cut Pro, Motion, Photoshop, and Illustrator—Mural in Motion is the result of 12+ weeks of collaboration weaving together student-created music, sophisticated animation, and Philly-inspired video into eight minutes of dynamic, creative, original footage with its own soundtrack. 

Building bridges within the community and between institutions to make positive change for young people is in the DNA of SCH Academy and the Mural Arts Program.  Connecting students to opportunities beyond their immediate neighborhoods and collaborating with peers and adults who are leaders in their fields are goals that this partnership has readily accomplished.

While a stunning production in its own right, more importantly, Mural in Motion is a powerful model of creative collaboration for mutual civic, artistic, and educational benefit. 

So if you are looking for something new and different to do this weekend, consider a trip downtown for dinner and a mural......Mural in Motion, that is.

Get a glimpse into what's possible when you put students, technology, and teachers together to unlock their creative potential!