Article categories: News
A new mural, created in collaboration with young artists, now adorns the wall of a care home
Published: 13.6.2025
New impressive artwork has been added to Vaasa’s streetscape. At the Youth Services street art camp, graffiti artist Tony Laine and a team of young people created a mural on the storage building wall at the Carl & Carolina care home.
From 2 to 6 June, Vaasa City Youth Services organised their first-ever street art camp, which was attended by nine young people of different ages. The camp was led by Tony Laine, a seasoned graffiti artist from Vaasa.
At the start of the camp, the young participants practised graffiti painting, and later in the week, they had the opportunity to create a large, authorised mural on the wall of the care home’s storage building, working alongside a professional graffiti artist.
Free rein over the theme of the mural
The Carl & Carolina care home is located in the city centre on Rauhankatu. The new mural was created on the back wall of the care home’s storage building, facing the public car park.
The mural was designed by Laine, with the young camp participants taking part in painting it. Laine was given free rein by the foundation that owns the building to choose the subject.
– We gave permission for the painting straight away when we were asked. The artwork looks really impressive, says Lena Sjöholm-Fahllund, Executive Director at Carl & Carolina.
Laine designed the artwork so that he painted the upper section himself, while the young people painted the lower section following his design.
Introducing young people to the rules of street art
During the camp, the young people also learnt about the rules of street art and visited the city’s authorised graffiti sites.
– We older artists guide the younger ones and want to show that graffiti can also be legal. We don’t vandalise – we create art. I believe this kind of intergenerational collaboration helps reduce vandalism, Laine explains.
The idea for the street art camp came from the young people themselves.
– We have been asked both for guidance in graffiti painting and for more street art in Vaasa. The camp partly responded to these requests. We may be able to organise the camp again next summer, says Anne Lamminen, Youth Service Coordinator.
The camp also has an educational aim, with a focus on engaging young people, fostering teamwork, and preventing bullying.
This camp was a great success in that regard: the young people ranged in age from 12 to 17, yet they got to know each other well and created great art together, Lamminen says.
