about the urban intervention

About the Urban Intervention

(aka “The Butterfly Project)

Fifty-three butterfly sculptures appeared by surprise on the lawn of Lowell Elementary in Waterloo between March 8-13, 2016. The artwork was created by six teams of young artists – about 100 total students of all ages from Waterloo and Cedar Falls – as a surprise for the community this spring. Butterflies recently migrated to Cedar Falls and can be viewed in the area surrounding the Little Red Schoolhouse at 205 W 1st Street.

The goal of the Youth Art Team Urban Intervention project is to instill in the young artists who create this fluid work of art the knowledge that their actions have the power to alter the dynamics of the community. This project models the butterfly effect, a term describing the potential for one small change in a condition to affect a large and complex system. We’re learning that art has an immediate impact but can also spur people on to do something new themselves. The Youth Art Team thinks this one small change could make a big difference in our complex community – maybe in ways we can not even predict.

Please take the time to walk through the butterflies and read the student-made signs! Help spread the word, and share your photos and comments on social media with the hashtag #goyouthartteam so we can share your support with the students.

The Youth Art Team invites the entire community to join us for an outdoor celebration recognizing the young artists on Monday, May 23 from 4:30-6:00 p.m. (free and open to the public). We will announce the location on the Youth Art Team Facebook page in May, because we aren’t quite out of surprises…