Our Story & Mission
Our Mission and Vision
30 Years Strong
“700+ Murals, 7000+ Youth Served”
Groundswell brings together young people, artists, and community organizations to use art as a tool for social change.
We Envison
A future where collaborations in art and community storytelling empower young artists and activists to use their creativity as a force for justice, connection, and collective expression across NYC.
Groundswell’s Theory of Change
Young people are ready to speak, create, and lead.
What they need are spaces where they can express themselves, gain visibility, and embrace civic power. For too many, especially in disinvested communities, their stories get erased, their creativity overlooked, and their civic power dismissed.
We believe in social justice. It is a critical lens that guides how we see and act, without overshadowing the core logic of our change process, which is centered on youth creativity, leadership, and community transformation.
We Believe
Young People
Are capable change agents in their communities
Art
Can shift power through dialogue
Social Change
Requires equity and collaboration.
Our History
Groundswell began with a single mural project in 1996, when artist and tenant organizer Amy Sananman, inspired by personal stories of Mexican immigrant families in Williamsburg, initiated a collaboration between local residents and youth artists to share those stories through public art. “The Golden Birdcage” became Groundswell’s first mural.
The Golden Birdcage” became Groundswell’s first mural.
Individual projects became ongoing programs, and as support and connections grew, Groundswell codified its summer mural-making activities as the Summer Leadership Institute and added afterschool arts education programming throughout the year.
We approach the social justice themes of our murals with sensitivity, but also candor and honesty.
