The city’s Health Department is sponsoring three new murals designed to support those struggling with mental health.
The murals, which will be painted in Morrisania and Mount Hope in the Bronx and Crown Heights in Brooklyn, were designed by local artists who have dealt with or currently are dealing with mental health conditions, according to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. The concepts were developed through a series of workshops with peer specialists and community organizers.
“By supporting people with mental health conditions and strengthening the bonds within our communities, the NYC Mural Arts Project is part of the City’s effort to bring neighborhoods together and change the conversation around mental health,” Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said in a statement.
First lady Chirlane McCray, who has made mental health a key issue, said in a statement the project “shows how joyful art with strong messages can help educate, heal and beautify our communities.
“When people see positive reflections of mental well-being where they live, it helps put an end to stigma, isolation and misinformation,” she added.
The murals are part of the Mural Arts Project — a partnership between the state’s Office of Mental Health and the city’s Health Department. Last year, murals were put up in East Tremont, the West Bronx and Hell’s Kitchen.
Volunteers can help paint sections of the murals at two different sessions: on Grand Concourse and McClellan Street in the Bronx on April 28 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Park Place and Troy Avenue in Brooklyn on May 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
