Portraits of Hope Venice Beach

Starting on May 1, Portraits of Hope will transform the lifeguard towers from Palos Verdes to Malibu with colorful art panels painted by community and civic groups. If you would like to get involved or sponsor a tower, check out their website by clicking here.

Here is an introductory video on Portraits of Hope:

From their website:

Portraits of Hope projects combine civic education and engagement with the visual and healing arts, providing youngsters and adults who often face medical, physical, or socio-economic challenges with an opportunity to collaborate on world class projects and accomplish the spectacular.

As part of the collaborative program to artistically transform the lifeguard towers, LA-area youth and others – most who will participate through their educational institutions – will partake in civic learning sessions and activities that allow them to express their views on policy issues and on the importance of teamwork and broad cooperation in affecting positive change in their communities. Consistent with the locations of the lifeguard towers, an emphasis on environmental and healthy life-styles issues will be focal points of the sessions.

For children in the hospitals, the project will serve as creative therapy, and attention will be focused on the activities associated with the specialized creation of the tower panels. The ages of those who will participate in the hospital range from toddler to 17. Most of the kids in the school, after-school, and social service programs who will be involved in the project are 9 and up.