9 Pillars: A Look at how the Challenges of Homelessness in Youth Impact Creative Expression and Engagement in a Public Art Project

The following research is a look into how the challenges facing homeless youth impact creative expression and engagement during their involvement in a public art project. Creative expression can be one way to improve the perspective these youth have about their lives as they reflect on their strengths and talents. Creative expression can also provide youth with a platform for voicing their hopes, fears, and dreams. Using a safe forum to encourage self-expression, the youth participants developed 9 themes that conveyed what they most wanted the community to know about their lives and challenges. The youth also provided input to help create the art that would later become the murals in this public art project. The complex challenges facing these youth were conveyed through their expression. The stories told through the 9 Pillars project helped create a welcoming place that will help generate awareness about this marginalized population. Awareness is a critical component to improving and increasing the support needed for these youth to improve their lives.