The Sky's The Limit: Adding Youth-Created Artwork to the SCP Community Center

The walls of our Community Center are much brighter thanks to the creative work of the Mint Artists Guild and Vianca Romero! 

Though our team is still working remotely, our Operations and Communications teams have spent time over the last year developing partnerships with local artists and programs to create custom art pieces for the SCP Community Center. The ultimate goal is to not only find artwork that beautifies the space but also develop pieces that share our organization’s mission and tell stories from our surrounding community. 

As a leader in youth arts education and enrichment programming in Detroit, Mint Artists Guild was at the top of our list of organizations we wanted to partner with as part of our process. Through entrepreneurial skill-building and practical applications of the arts, the organization provides earning opportunities, exposure, and mentorships that propel students into creative, fulfilling careers.

To develop the right piece for the SCP Community Center, our Operations Manager, Dina Bankole, collaborated with Mint as part of their 2020 Paint Detroit with Generosity initiative, which donates teen-made paintings and art pieces to local nonprofit organizations. The program is supported in partnership with Grow Detroit’s Young Talent, the Skillman Foundation, Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs, Culture Source, and Blossoms, a full-service florist in Midtown and Birmingham.

During the design process, we were paired with Vianca Romero, a 17-year-old artist and student at Oakland Community College who is also working toward a future in psychology or medicine. Vianca specializes in pencil, ink, charcoal, acrylic, and digital materials and loves to see her work go to good causes or her own legacy. After researching our mission and work, Vianca used her creative gifts to produce “The Sky’s The Limit,” an amazing piece that shares the potential and achievement of Detroit youth. Vianca also completed the piece as part of Mint’s Creative Summer Jobs program, which means she was paid for her creativity, time, and expertise. 

The painting joins our growing collection that includes work from Paper for the People, Phillip Simpson, and more! 

Want to learn more about the Mint Artists Guide? Visit their website for a full list of programs and partnership opportunities.