Mural dreams resurrected for Nunavut and Toronto teens

The organizers of a muralfeaturingyoung artists fromNunavutand Ontariohave secured anewwall daysafter they were unexpectedly told to find a new location.

• Wall wanted: Mural dreams crumble for Nunavut and Toronto teens

Patrick Thompson and Alexa Hatanaka, the facilitators of the project, put out a call for potential wallsafter they were told on Sunday the building they were counting on atKing Street East andJarvisStreetwas not available.

The two co-foundersof ayouth arts initiative, The Embassy of Imagination,are flying in four high school students from the remote northern community of Cape Dorset to Toronto next week to collaborate with three young local artists.

Thompson says they receivedan"amazing"outpouring of support with many people offering potential locations.

Their new location is being supplied byHostellingInternationalat abuilding onChurch Street and Adelaide Street East.

It's onlya block away from their original spot, and it'slarger, coming inat nearly 18metres tall.

After their recent experience,they didn't celebrate immediatelyeven after they confirmed the new location.

"We were still slightly hesitant to give each other high fives," said Thompson,"after you've been given the go-ahead once but had it pulled it fromunder you."

Cultural handshake

The two organizers raised $60,000 in federal and provincial grantsto bring the group of seven young artists together for, what Thompsoncalls, a"cultural handshake".

The collaborative mural is based designs of 16-year-oldCape Dorest artistParrEtidloie.

"I heard some stories about my grandfather carrying a snowmobile and they told me to draw it," said the teenager who was raised in the remote northern community. "And it worked out."

Toronto's Moises Frank will also be a part of the project.

As a graffiti artist, he wants the visiting teens to experience the creation of highly visible art.

"Just giving them the value and the worth of their own art, seeing it so big is pretty empowering," said Frank.

More information about the project can be found through theTheEmbassy of Imaginationwebsite.