A blank wall in a laneway off Murphy Street is awaiting the artistic flair of local young people, as part of a free mural program aimed at 'getting paint where it ain't'. Overseen by well-known local mural artist Ronan Holdsworth, The Grid is a mural and mentorship initiative being thrown open to Rural City of Wangaratta residents aged between 16 and 26 years. In leading the program, Ronan will combine his teaching skills honed as a snowboarding instructor, collaborative abilities learnt as a chef, and the knowledge of mural painting he's developed through the creation of about a dozen murals in Wangaratta over the last four years. The project will involve three two-hour workshops, kicking off in September, followed by an on-site painting session. It has been funded through the Emerging Needs Program of the Wangaratta Grit and Resilience Program (which is funded by the state government's Social Inclusion Action Group and managed by the Rural City of Wangaratta), so there is no cost to participants. Ronan said the project had the support of building owner Brett Anderson, and nearby local businesses Scoops and Fatz Burger Co, as well as headspace. He said the initiative would not be an art class, but a launching pad into the real, fast-paced world of public art, large-scale design, and commercial creative practice. "Whether you are already filling sketchbooks every night, studying design, or have never picked up a professional paintbrush in your life, The Grid is your space," he said. Participants will form an active design and paint crew, and gain hands-on experience with equipment and techniques used on the job by professional muralists, in an inclusive, supportive environment. They will learn how to manage a professional outdoor site, move a drawing from an A4 piece of paper onto a brick wall, and master the application of paint, while working with a real-world client to achieve their vision. The project will also delve into protection of intellectual property and copyright, understanding how budget frameworks operate, and working within deadlines, as the young people work on leaving the legacy of a permanent public asset. "We'll take them through the whole process, and also give them a sense of ownership and a feeling of achievement," Ronan said. "They'll be given a theme and a colour palette, and work with the client on what they would like to see on the wall. "Through the mural process, we'll give them a chance to collaborate with each other, and to work with people they may not usually meet." He said he encouraged even people who didn't consider themselves as 'arty' to apply for the program, as a range of skills and abilities would be needed to complete the work. "Hopefully, we can show and encourage young people to think that their dreams are reachable, and that in the future they can walk past this mural and say, 'I was part of that'," he said. "If I can get one young person to turn around in two or three years' time and say it's encouraged them to go on and do something they love, job done." Ronan said he would love to see the program grow and attract further funding, to conduct more initiatives in a similar vein in other Wangaratta laneways. There are limited places available for the mural initiative, and anyone wishing to apply for the program is encouraged to visit www.ronanholdsworthgallery.au/thegrid
