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Chameleon Arts & Youth Development is inviting you to join in artist Mel Chin’s Fundreds community arts project. We will use the arts to leverage $300,000,000 from the United States Congress to create gardens that will clean up unsafe levels of toxins and lead in the soil of New Orleans. Children are the most affected by lead and therefore are at the center of this project. The project will be replicated in cities all across the country to help solve the problem of lead in the soil of our cities. We would like to further discuss opportunities for you or your institution to participate in this important project.
The Fundred Dollar Bill Project
Lead-contaminated soil in U.S. cities puts thousands of children at risk for severe learning disabilities and behavioral problems. New Orleans is one of the most lead-contaminated cities in the U.S.–this is where the solution starts. Let us make the soil of New Orleans safe again! Once we create a lead-safe New Orleans, this innovative environmental model will be available to other lead-polluted cites.
Everyone and anyone, students, teachers, artists, parents and celebrities, are all making their own Fundred Dollar Bills–original, hand-drawn interpretations of U.S. $100 bill!
The goal is to collect over 3 million of these unique artworks. Completed Fundred drawings are sent to official Collection Centers to be counted and securely held. The cumulative total of 300,000,000 Fundred Dollars represents the equivalent cost (in U.S. Dollars) required to make safe every lead contaminated property in New Orleans, so that every child is protected.
At the end of the project, all drawings will be presented to the U.S. Congress with a request for an even exchange of the creative capital – your Fundreds – for real funding to make safe lead-polluted soils in New Orleans.
Remember! Children are the most affected by lead, and therefore, are at the center of this project. However, teachers, parents, administrators and community members are encouraged to contribute as well! This is an important local and national project involving art, science, health, education, environment and social activism.
An armored truck, three million kids, artists, Congressional leaders, need we say more?!
Chameleon will be...
- Kansas City’s secure collection center!
- Working with artists, arts agencies, schools, businesses, colleges, churches, museums and individuals to create over 20,000 Fundred drawings for the project between now and June 1, 2010.
- Putting together Fundred drawing kits that contain all the materials and information needed to facilitate Fundred drawingworkshops.
- Providing institutions and events Fundred arts workshops with all supplies and directed by Chameleon artists
The armored truck began pilot pick-ups in the Gulf Coast in November 2009. Nationwide pick-up begins January 2010. The truck will be in Kansas City for our first delivery of Mid West Fundred drawings January 25th at the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center and other sites. Fundred events will be taking place at festivals, arts openings, and other public events all winter and spring.
Fundred Kickoff Party
January 23, 6pm-9pm @ Leedy-Voulkos Art Center (2012 Baltimore, KCMO)
We are trying to schedule Mel Chin to come in and speak!
First Fundreds Pickup
January 25 @ Leedy-Voulkos Art Centerr (2012 Baltimore, KCMO)
The first group of valuable drawings will be picked up by a special armored truck.
Future pickups will be scheduled. Keep an eye on our website or our Facebook page for updates.
Get your community involved - Everyone is invited!
Please contact us at Chameleon Arts and Youth Development if you have any questions or would like to get involved locally. You can email us at admin@chameleon-ayd.org or call us at (816) 686-8626.
For more information about the Fundreds Project, visit the website at fundred.org.