A Common Language

Over a year-long exchange, Mural Arts participated in a creative cultural exchange with artists and social workers from Ukraine. Teaming up with the Health Federation of Philadelphia and the European Institute of Public Health Policy in Ukraine, the Mural Arts Institute (MAI) and the Porch Light Department hosted two visits to Philadelphia, facilitated online co-learning sessions, and contributed to an exciting conversation about the impact and importance of Art and artmaking to support spaces of storytelling and belonging. Read more about the exchange and the work with our Porch Light department here.

In September 2024, the second delegation of artists and social workers visited Philadelphia. Over three days, the group worked with the Mural Arts Institute and the Porch Light team to visit community hub spaces, explore artist studios, and continue to share in conversations on approaches to community artmaking. During that time, Joseph Iacona, Director of the Mural Arts Institute, and Netanel Portier, Senior Director Learning and Practice, led several reflection sessions with the participants.

They asked the Ukrainian artists to share their perspectives and personal experiences in learning about Philadelphia artists associated with Mural Arts’ and their approach to community engagement and facilitating public art making. They asked them to envision what they would take back with them to Ukraine, and to the communities they work with. They also reflected on the importance of exchange programs like this one for artists as well as why it is important that Mural Arts continues to support these experiences and foster these important dialogues. The conversations produced insightful responses about the power for art to inspire, uplift community voices, contribute to positive well-being, and activate social change. They also spoke to the power of connection and solidarity between artists and arts administrators from across an ocean. While experiences and situations may be different, a common understanding, goal, and vocabulary was shared in the belief of Participatory Art’s ability to support a positive impact for communities, anywhere in the world.

Here are some of their responses:

How will the experiences of this week make a change in you and in your work?

“For me, it was very valuable to communicate with the [other] artists. I learned about their experience and approach to working with the community, their attitude to these practices and the difficulties they faced in the process…Definitely, I will be more free in the means of expressing my creativity… Now I have a lot of new ideas and a clear understanding of what is needed to create a project.”

“Communication with people… ways to engage people… various methods of interaction with the community. This new approach will give more confidence when communicating with the community, because it has completely changed the way I see my work. Now it is perceived not only as an act of self-expression, but as an inextricable link with art therapy.”

What purpose do artist exchange programs like this one serve?  

“[Through] exchange of cultural experience and professional communication to solve creative problems [together].”

“To have professional communication with people who are like you is extremely important and valuable. To see that there are things that are done across the ocean in the same way as we do, and to see things that are done in a completely different way – to be enriched by the experience of other artists, and by their mood, intention, attitude towards themselves as artists, and towards the participants involved. Your program [at Mural Arts] expands the worldview and gives a fresh breath to those who practice in a certain social environment and are accustomed to certain reactions and algorithms.”

“The arts are not just about self-expression, but also a way to [positively] influence the emotional state of people who need it. It is a new approach to creativity that involves a deep awareness of one’s value as an artist. The artist becomes a guide who not only creates beauty, but also gives a sense of calm, inspiration and inner healing. This approach allows us to unlock the potential of art as a therapy tool that can support and inspire those seeking emotional support and new sources of strength.”

Why is it important for Mural Arts to continue to host artist exchange programs?

“[Mural Arts] shares an advanced experience, [with] innovative technologies in the creation of murals that are not used in Ukraine today, and it is an effective tool for supporting socially vulnerable categories of the population [to participate].”

“Because [Mural Arts] has many years of experience, which is so deep and qualitative…. I am sure that we will create many cool projects with your help, [but] it will be your contribution and your mission to continue social [justice] work, not only in Philadelphia… [that] it’s important for us to unite and learn about each other’s cultures because it leads to mutual understanding and enrichment.”

“It is important for Mural Arts to continue to organize artist exchange programs, as such initiatives contribute to deepening the relationship between art and society. The exchanges provide artists with the opportunity to rethink their vision and role in the community, as well as to discover new approaches to creativity that can be inextricably linked to art therapy. This creates a space for emotional support and inspiration for both the artists themselves and the audience they interact with.”

At its core, Mural Arts Institute seeks to build connections, sustain relationships, and share skills about the practices that have been instrumental in Mural Arts creating works of public art with Philadelphia citizens. These practices resonate with community leaders across the world and our goal is to align knowledge, amplify voices, empower change, and distribute resources that move us all toward a more inclusive and equitable future for socially engaged public art. It is through each learning exchange, we advance our own understanding of the different approaches to community engagement. We recognize that community-engaged art practices evolve over time and value what can be accomplished when we work together and share stories and perspectives.

This visit was made possible by the support of the Health Federation of Philadelphia in the framework of the USAID Public Health System Recovery and Resilience Activity (PHS R&R) led by Pact.

Learn more about the work of these artists and social workers, and the incredible work they continue to accomplish throughout Ukraine:

Anastasiia, Sladkovska, Artist, Zhytomyr Ukraine 

• View the Artist’s Portfolio
• Read More About the Artist
• Read More About the Artist
• Connect with the Artist on Facebook

Oleksandra, Shypilova, Artist, Kyiv/Mariupol Ukraine 

• Connect with the Artist on Instagram
• Connect with the Artist on Behance

Yuliia, Bardysh, Manager, Light of Hope charitable organization Poltava Region 

• Learn More About Light of Hope

Yana Pokhylko-Lytovchenko, Artist, Light of Hope charitable organization Poltava Region 

View the Artist’s Portfolio

Iryna Mykoliv, Artist, The Forest Glade Psychiatric Clinic in Ukraine 

• Connect with the artist on Instagram
• Connect with the artist on Instagram Poetry
• Read More About the artist
• View the Artist’s Portfolio

Marta Melnyk, Mental Health Team Lead, Public Health System Recovery & Resilience Project 

• Learn More About PACT
• Connect with Social Worker on Facebook