In Madrid “You Paint A Lot”

2024

In Madrid “You Paint A Lot”

(In Spanish, “to paint a lot” means “to really matter,” making this wordplay clear in our language.)

This project involved painting a mural in a participatory way, combining environmental awareness with plastic arts muralism—a true success story.

The initiative originated from a small project at a high school institution, where we discovered the importance of protecting certain nutrient plants around the school. These plants were vital for a species of protected butterflies, which not only fed on them but also laid their larvae there. This story was significant and inspiring enough to encourage the youth to use it as the basis for their slogan and mural sketches.

The entire process, from the initial sketch to the slogan and the painting days, was carried out inclusively through a series of meetings, surveys, and word-of-mouth communication, culminating in the “All hands get to work” day.

The expected result was a beautiful mural delivering a message of environmental awareness, as seen in the photo. However, the project led to an unexpected outcome: through the awareness raised within the school community about the importance of protecting these butterflies, a group of 2nd-year high school students submitted a project to the “Engineering in Your Hands” contest at the School of Industrial Engineers. They designed a “Butterfly Shelter” powered by clean energy, featuring a solar-powered door, a humidity sensor, and a butterfly visitor counter, all managed via a mobile app. This innovative project earned them a finalist spot in the competition.

Unanticipated Impact of the Project

For the 2024/25 school year, the biology and art teachers plan to submit a joint project to the Science Fair, continuing the theme of butterfly conservation while integrating the plastic arts. This initiative has already had a significant educational and awareness-raising impact.

To our delight, beyond the Science Fair project, all students received the school agenda at the start of the year featuring a photo of the mural and its slogan, which fills us with pride.

This project was carried out with funds from the Directorate General of Youth of the Community of Madrid, as part of the grant program for Awareness and Participation Projects with young people, and with support from the Torres de la Alameda Town Council.