“You Are Beautiful” fundraiser

We’re very excited to tell you about a project happening. It will contribute to the beauty of our city, empower artists of marginalized groups, and host a positive message for all to see. We are confident it will become a regular attraction and photo-op for our community.

When Madison East alum Brendan Scanlon–also known as street artist SOLVE– was killed in 2008, memorial art calling out YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL popped up around Madison, Chicago, and the world. SOLVE and others in his collective had painted the message around Chicago before his death, and it grows as a public art project 14 years in the making. Aesthetically diverse YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL murals have risen out of Illinois, Oregon, Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, California, and as far as Italy. We are participating in a globally understood conversation. This mural project will live in both its history and its future simultaneously: it honors the art of those before us while optimistically anticipating what those in our community can do for each other in the years to come.

We are very proud to already have the support of the Madison Arts Commission and UW. The engineering and installation will be accomplished by Art In and the painting will be done by ArtWrite artists Alaura Seidl and Wendi Kent  alongside local LGBTQIA+ youth. These youth, who will be recruited out of the queer and trans groups with which ArtWrite often partners, will form a youth council committed to the project. Because they will be co-artists in the process, we do not have a finalized image to share for this proposal.

We need your support! There are numerous ways you can help us make this a huge success: