2 weeks ago
5
Over five transformative days, three organisations united international and local creatives in Tivoli Gardens, Kingston, under the theme ‘Healing Thoughts Through Art’. Twenty-five international street artists from around the world collaborated with 25 Jamaican artists from December 11 to 15, to create stunning large-scale murals throughout the community.
The project, spearheaded by Meeting of Styles, Children 4 Change, and the Tivoli Mural Project, focused on artistic excellence, cultural exchange, and meaningful community engagement. The German Embassy in Kingston served as the main sponsor, while the Embassies of Belgium, Finland, Canada, and Slovakia contributed to accommodation for participating artists and supported essential infrastructure needs.
German Ambassador Jan Hendrik Van Thiel, who highlighted the power of art as a diplomatic and social tool, noted that the participants “are creating networks, a common platform of expression. They are working together, creating beauty — and that is something we really, really want to support”.
Further emphasising the broader impact, Van Thiel stated, “As a diplomat, this is diplomacy at its finest: bringing people together, bringing positive energy together to create something positive and something beautiful, and to develop the community.”
Beyond mural creation, the programme included hands-on workshops for children and youths, encouraging creative expression, teamwork, and ownership of public space. The Jamaican Skate Initiative complemented the visual arts programme with skateboard workshops, adding an element of movement, play, and youth culture.
Meeting of Styles, a global street art and graffiti network with nearly 25 years of history and over 400 events worldwide, contributed its international artist network and supported the provision of materials. Children 4 Change led fundraising efforts and coordinated communication with diplomatic partners, while the Tivoli Mural Project ensured local coordination, artist support, and community integration.
A Community in Transformation
O’Neil Coke, organiser of the Tivoli Mural Project, reflected on the journey and its significance. “It started by brethren and brethren linking up, wanting to impact change. The seed was planted and it has grown for other people to see it blooming.”
He added: “When you see it reach a level where other nations see it fit to participate, it is awesome. Inner-city communities overall are marginalised. In the past, a lot of people would look at Tivoli as the mother of all garrisons. Now, we embrace being the mother of transformation.”
After months of preparation and collaboration, Manuel Gerullis, founder and international coordinator of Meeting of Styles, expressed his satisfaction.
“After teaming up with the Tivoli Mural Project in 2023 and launching the first Meeting of Styles in Jamaica in 2024, I am very happy with the progress we have made together. Kingston — and especially Tivoli Gardens, Denham Town, and Trench Town — holds enormous potential for this contemporary art form to uplift communities through creativity,” Gerullis said.
The event concluded with a guided walking tour through Tivoli Gardens, where ambassadors and partners viewed the completed artworks and engaged directly with artists and residents. Their reactions confirmed what the walls already expressed: art can heal, connect, and transform.
“This project shows what is possible when international partners, local leadership, and young people come together with a shared purpose. Through art, we are not only transforming walls, but also creating safe spaces for expression, confidence, and hope for children and youth in Tivoli Gardens,” said Melaynah of the group, Children 4 Change
English (US) ·