Activity Log: Getting Arty
Our Activity Log segment is going to be a regular blog where we share different activities, events, and campaigns that young people are doing around NZ, things that are not necessarily featured on our activities web-page. This week is all about using art to get your message across!
“Music and arts make a bridge across this world in ways nothing else can”
A big part of SADD’s kaupapa is that young people would find ways to communicate and start conversations with their peers about road safety in ways that they think will actually work. Everywhere you go around New Zealand, young people are doing things that are specific to their communities, because one size does not fit all.
We all have different skills and talents, and it makes sense to use what we are good at to make a difference. The arts are an amazing way to make an impact, and to get people thinking in a different way that often sticks with people for a long time. Over the years at SADD we have had installations, skits, films, posters, murals, banners, social media competitions, interactive notice boards and more. One of the comments we often get about these more creative and arty activities/events or campaigns students do, is that whatever it was really stuck with people.
Art has a way to cut through all the noise and really get people to remember your message.
Towards the end of 2019 some students from Waikato Diocesan School for Girls completed this awesome mural at their school! We asked Olivia some questions about her SADD group’s creative process. Hopefully you will be encouraged and inspired by what they have done.
Firstly amazing job on the mural! How do you feel about how it turned out?
I was absolutely ecstatic about how the mural turned out. It was a big job to organise and took awhile to have it completely finished, but it was definitely worth it as it looks incredible. As a year 13 student it was nice to leave something at the school that will be there for years to come, that is not only fun but also helps with student awareness around safer driving.
What made you want to do a SADD mural specifically what made that seem like a good idea?
My year 12 student council brainstormed many ideas at the beginning of the year and the mural was definitely the favourite. We decided to go with it as it would be really effective and cool and also create awareness about safer driving for students, especially those in year 12 and 13 who are getting their license.
What sort of impact do you think it has had, have you gotten any feedback from students?
Many students and teachers alike told us throughout the duration of organising that it was a great idea and while we were painting during the end of last year we had such great feedback about how fantastic it looked. I have also heard that it is the height of talk now that school has started again, with so many students commenting about how it really stands out and looks amazing. Having something that is visually pleasing like our art work, that is also vibrant and new, entices students to look at the mural and take in the messages of SADD.
How do you think art impacts people differently then just say telling people a message in assembly?
Our art work will constantly be there and as it is situated on the courts which is a central point at our school. Artwork is much easier for students to absorb messages from. Assemblies are good but a lot of the time students don’t pay much attention. So by having artwork that is fun and vibrant and looks great, students will look at it and be more accepting of the messages that it projects. They will be aware of safer driving. A greater majority of people are visual learners and communicators so by having a visual aspect like artwork, the message you are trying to portray is more likely to stick in people’s minds, especially something that is fun and colourful like our SADD Mural.
Why did you go for the colours and patterns that you did?
We made it a school wide competition where girls could design a mural and the art work we thought displayed SADD the best was chosen and then painted by students in the school. Ella Green was the winning artist and also was our main painter. We chose her design as we thought the vibrant colours and fun design was a good way to get girls around the school looking at the mural and therefore more likely to understand and absorb the meaning around SADD. It not only displayed the message of SADD really well but also looks amazing.
Ella who designed the mural said she wanted the design to be aesthetically pleasing, that’s why she chose bright pastel colours that complement the 60’s design. She chose the pattern as it was fun and different to the usual ‘car type’ artworks. All these combined to create an effective and fun artwork that would attract positive attention to the mural therefore bringing more attention to the SADD cause.
If another SADD group wanted to do a creative art project for a SADD activity, what advice would you have for them?
Get onto your idea right away so that it is able to be displayed in your school faster. Try to get as much school wide participation and awareness about it as possible and manageable. The more people involved and aware about it, the more likely they will keep tabs on the progress, which helps get your message across. Doing a large project like this one does seem challenging and overwhelming as there is a lot that goes into it. You need to plan well and don’t be afraid to ask for help, as you will not be able to do this all by yourself. I had a lot of people who I relied on to achieve different tasks using their specific skill set as I myself wouldn’t have the time, resources and skills to do it alone so make sure to have a reliable team around you. The biggest advice would be to keep persevering, our mural took an entire school year to fully complete but the end result was worth it as it looks incredible, so if you have an idea keep at it.
Our SADD staff love how positive and feel-good the mural is, we know that road safety can be a serious and sometimes heavy topic, but it is really refreshing to see something so uplifting and inspiring. It makes you feel like road safety is such a positive and exciting thing!
Our challenge to you this year is to find some ways to think outside the box and be creative with what you do in your school and/or community. If you have artists in your SADD group then utilise them, or maybe work in with the art department at school. Think about what might work in your setting and don’t be afraid to get creative.
Remember you can always get in touch with the SADD delivery team if you need help with ideas, and if you do some creative projects in your school, send us through some photos!