The Artistic Power of Garbage Cans
Mike Ballman, Cathy Marsh |
TEDxUtica
• September 2017
There are people that society is ready to toss away – the addicted, the incarcerated and the ones who keep falling into cycles of bad behavior and strife. But what if they were given a second chance through art... through beautifying the very streets they were once homeless on and ironically, making products that people throw things away in, while refusing to be thrown away themselves. Oneida Square Public Art & Design is a social enterprise in the heart of Utica, NY that employs people with barriers to the traditional labor force. They invest in PEOPLE... and not JUST through the job. They invest in their well being, financial stability, health and overall outlook on life. Their signature products are mosaic litter receptacles - many of which grace Utica's neighborhoods, telling their stories and history. Mike Ballman would now like to tell the story of the artisans behind the products and how investing in people is working in one of Utica's most poverty-striken neighborhoods.