(Anchorage, Alaska) This brightly painted mural now greets youth, staff and visitors as they arrive at
704 W. 26th Avenue
. The building off Arctic Boulevard is home to a youth drop-in center, a vocational training program and mental health services, all for transition-age youth, ages 13-23.
Anchorage artist and high-school teacher Sarah Davies led the painting project over the summer, with a crew of volunteers. The design was a collaboration between Davies and the youth served at the facility in the Spenard area of Anchorage.
Davies says this project, like all of her work, is "about engaging people who generally don't have much faith placed in them in meaningful ways. And reinforcing the power of creativity as a tool of communication." Davies hopes to expand on the mural next summer.
The facility houses some of
Anchorage Community Mental Health Services
' programs for transition age youth (ages 13-23), including
Alaska Seeds of Change
(AKSOC). AKSOC provides vocational training for at-risk youth in an indoor hydroponic vertical greenhouse. Ladybugs are used to control pests, inspiring the mural's key motif. The building also houses a
peer-run youth-drop in center (Power Center),
that offers youth a safe/inclusive place for youth to hang out and get practical resources such as food and clothing, as well as get connected to other resources. Mental health services are also available on-site.
All are welcome at the celebration on
September 13
beginning at
4:30 pm,
with a brief presentation at 5:00 pm. Visitors can also check out the new outdoor growing space installed this summer with support from the Anchorage Mayor's Food Policy mini-grant program and Saint Mary's Episcopal Church. There is limited parking directly by the building, with additional street parking available on the adjacent streets.
About Sarah Davies:
Sarah Davies is the award-winning artist behind the
"100 Stone Project"
, an installation of life-size statues installed at Point Woronzof in Anchorage in November and December 2015. The project raised awareness of suicide and mental health struggles and attracted followers from around the world. The installation followed a series of public engagement sessions around the state that created a space for people to share their stories in a physical way, and to feel connection to a community of creators. Ms. Davies currently teaches art at Bartlett High School in Anchorage.
About Anchorage Community Mental Health Services:
ACMHS
has been providing community-based outpatient mental health services in Anchorage for more than 40 years, and added services in Fairbanks in 2013. The company provides trauma-informed care for clients across the span of life.
