Polycolor Encounters

Polycolor Encounters is located in the Fitler Square neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Teaching artist Calo Rosa and youth from Markward Recreation Center designed and painted this mural that celebrates the pollinator garden in front of the Rec Center located in the Fitler Square neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rosa worked with youth participants on basic art and drawing exercises, as well teaching them how to use paint. Building on the basics, the mural was designed to flow across the rec center’s walls that face the adjacent playground and playing fields. Youth participants were provided with architectural drawings of the building that they could fill in with different patterns and colors. The youth-led designs drew from the flow of the playground and movement in the surrounding space, including borrowing colors from the playground equipment. The final design also incorporates some realistic flowers, drawing inspiration from the nearby pollinator garden, alongside more stylized designs. The overarching effect emanates a calm energy that enlivens this community space.
As part of a new program partnership started in 2024 between Mural Arts Philadelphia’s Education Department and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, youth at recreation centers throughout the city can partake in a multi-week art education program that teaches them foundational art-making skills, fosters creative expression, and builds self-confidence. The program culminates in a mural designed and painted at each center by the youth in collaboration with their instructors and the Mural Arts Rec Crew. The Mural Arts Rec Crew is a group of Guild graduates who work at rec centers around the city, revitalizing community spaces and assisting with mural installations. Designed to reduce community violence, the project is funded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.