Eighteenth International Conference on the Arts in Society

Abstract

Murals in Jakarta have increased significantly since the city hosted the 2018 Asian Games. Murals were painted on the streets at the governor’s request to promote events and improve the city’s image. However, the majority of the murals serve only to beautify the area and do not represent the community’s voice. Although murals are becoming more popular among Jakarta residents, murals and young people continue to face prejudice due to vandalism. In response, a participatory mural project with youth in public spaces was proposed and carried out in collaboration with the local sub-district. This practice-based research is part of the international arts-based project Mobile Arts for Peace (MAP). It aims to offer new perspectives on murals as a means of channelling youth voices, allowing them to participate in the mural-making process, and fostering a dialogue between youth and policymakers about youth issues. This project included 35 youths from the Children’s Forum who attended 6-week workshop sessions. Based on participatory approach, it encouraged participants to take an active role in art and decision-making, identifying youth issues, discussing mural themes, and engaging in mural painting process. Their mural work was presented to the local government in order to spark discussion. This participatory mural project demonstrates how murals, as a form of art in public spaces, have the potential to bring people together and serve as a space for collective thought. More importantly, they can use what they describe to create dialogue about a topic or community issue, overcome prejudice, and influence policy.