Together with Lavazza and London Metropolitan University, we aim to inspire young people in north London to dream big with the launch of a new mural.
The mural marks the first artistic expression of our and Lavazza’s ongoing initiative – Learn to Dream – which aims to motivate local youth with a series of engaging activities, rolling out throughout the year.
The impressive two-wall mural, titled Learn to dream and painted by artist Gabriel Pitcher and art collective Wood Street Walls, it is inspired by young people in the local community and represents our shared aim to support and encourage North Londoners in their aspirations. As a visual representation of this commitment, the mural seeks to leave a lasting mark and foster an environment of forward thinking.
Northerners, London Metropolitan University students and football fans will all be able to enjoy the new mural as the over 1,800 sq ft artwork sits proudly opposite the Emirates Stadium entrance. It also links to the arts app ‘Smartify’, which allows supporters to scan a QR code to learn more and access a wider online collection of inspiring stories, photographed by London-based photographer Jake Green, the portraits of which the frescoes were the basis.
Through the power of art, the mural presents two young people whose stories are linked to north London – Maria Epam and Lee McEwan. “It is a great honor to be chosen as a subject for the mural. I regularly volunteer on creative projects, so I feel deeply connected to community projects that seek to inspire young people,” said Maria, an Art and Design student at London Metropolitan University.
She is joined by Lee McEwan, a former participant in Lavazza and Arsenal’s ‘A Cup of Learning’ programme, which seeks to promote long-term employment opportunities by upskilling young people through barista training programs in north London. Lee comments: “A Learning Cup has opened many doors for me, so I’m particularly privileged to be involved in another project with Lavazza and Arsenal. It’s amazing to see myself as an inspiration to people in the area where I was born and raised.”
Pietro Mazzà, Managing Director UK and UK Regional Director The mural is a tangible example of our initiatives that aim to inspire younger generations to strive and work for a better future.
“We started with the A Cup of Learning programme, which will expand further in 2023, and we will continue to develop projects that encourage meaningful change in the local community, together with Arsenal, as well as London Metropolitan University.”
The mural is painted on the walls of London Metropolitan University, a key new Lavazza partner. Sophie Cloutterbuck, Director of London Engagement at London Met, added: “London Met is home to a welcoming community of inspired and determined students, teachers and innovative thinkers. We have numerous initiatives that support and inspire those in the local area and we want our environment and partnerships to embody our ethos and commitment.
“The Learn to Dream mural is just the starting point of a wider partnership with Lavazza, driving positive change in the community through the London Met Lab: Empowering London.”
Juliet Slot, our Chief Commercial Officer, said: “The Learn to Dream mural is a fantastic way to leave a lasting and inspiring reminder of what we can all achieve when we work together. We are proud to work with our partners on initiatives to create real opportunities in our local community and we look forward to building on this with Lavazza.”
The Learn to Dream initiative is driven by a shared commitment to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals and is inspired by two key goals in particular. goal number 8, which seeks to promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth. As a measure of the brand’s commitment, Lavazza has further strengthened its relationship with our women’s team by continuing to sponsor them for the 2022/23 season.
As well as serving great coffee at unmissable matches, Lavazza and Arsenal are re-launching the A Cup of Learning program for 2023, which offers disadvantaged young people in the region the opportunity to receive formal barista training at Lavazza Training Center in Uxbridge alongside employment opportunities.
Since 2017, the year A Cup of Learning was born, 300 people have benefited from the program, gaining the necessary skills to enter the world of work in many countries such as Italy, the Dominican Republic, India, Albania, Haiti, Brazil, Cuba, Peru, Ecuador, United Kingdom and Australia.
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