The People’s Canvas

by Colin Cooney & Henry Zizmor

The People’s Canvas: Mapping Murals as a Tool for Social Justice Education is a digital resource that connects students, educators, and communities to the powerful role of street art and murals in advancing justice. This interactive map and database showcases murals from across New York City's 5 bouroughs and Long Island, inviting users to move beyond surface-level appreciation of color and style to examine the deeper messages artists embed in their work. Each mural entry is paired with context that aligns with four core pillars—Intersectionality, Advocacy History, Research, and Public Policy—transforming public art into an accessible curriculum for civic learning. The platform equips students with tools to critically analyze art as a form of advocacy, protest, and community storytelling. By situating murals within their historical and policy contexts, The People’s Canvas demonstrates how visual culture serves as both a mirror and a catalyst for social change. Ultimately, the project provides a vibrant, participatory way to understand how art shapes, and is shaped by, movements for justice.