Corcoran's Mural Team will face off against Graffiti once again on Saturday, August 2, at a needy building at 1841 East Lake Street, at the corner of Lake and Longfellow. At this time, both rookies and veterans ages 9 to 99 are being recruited for the Mural Team, and no art experience is necessary to participate.

Coach Elise Kyllo expects this mural to be the Team's fifth victory over graffiti this year, after 4 previous wins in 2008 and no losses. This strong showing follows up on an undefeated 2007 season for the Team in which over 220 youth and adults muraled 7 graffiti-prone buildings in the Corcoran neighborhood, including 2 previous projects on Lake Street. "I hope you can make it," Coach Kyllo said. "This is going to be a fun project for kids and adults."

Graffiti, meanwhile, continues to be exposed as an easy-to-defeat and predictable opponent. "Graffiti prevention isn't rocket science," said Mural Team cheerleader Eric Gustafson. "Taggers are like advertisers, and advertisers prefer blank, open walls to leave their message on."

To break up the "blank wall" of graffiti-prone garages and fences, more and more Minneapolis residents are installing cheap and easy solutions like climbing vines, mini murals, and fences with a staggered, instead of continuous, arrangement. Instead of painting over more graffiti, the vast majority of these owners report that the problem does not return.

In the Corcoran neighborhood, nine of these savvy property owners, including the block club at 35xx 19th/20th Ave (check out their alley for ideas), have taken advantage of a graffiti prevention mini grant now available (see page 1 of the July or August issue of the Corcoran News newspaper to learn more).

Still, some analysts say the graffiti-plagued building at 1841 East Lake might be the Mural Team's most formidable opponent so far. "I've seen graffiti on that building more days in the last year than I haven't," said one neighbor. Indeed, statistics gathered by CNO staff show that 1841 East Lake is by far the most-vandalized site in the Corcoran neighborhood over the last 3 years. But many neighbors agree that graffiti won't stand a chance against Corcoran's Mural Team.

"Graffiti is like the Washington Generals, while Corcoran's Mural Team is like the Harlem Globetrotters," observed Council Member Gary Schiff, who named Corcoran Murals 2007 "Project of the Year" for Minneapolis' Ninth Ward. "And I can't remember the last time I heard of the Globetrotters losing."

Join Team Corcoran this Saturday, August 2 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm (come for an hour or stay the whole day), and be sure to wear painting clothes if you plan to paint. All other supplies, as well as beverages and snacks, will be provided. Contact Eric at CNO with questions about the project, or to learn more about graffiti prevention solutions that have worked for other Corcoran residents.

Support for Corcoran's Youth Murals project is generously provided by the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC) through an appropriation by the Minnesota Legislature. Paint is supplied by the Valspar Foundation.