Bold Public Murals Celebrate Beloved Pets and Iconic City Landmarks

New York, NY – June 2025 – Two bustling New York City subway stations are getting a vibrant makeover thanks to powerful murals created by artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and brain-based disorders. Through a new collaboration between YAI and the MTA, these artworks will bring color, storytelling, and inclusion to the daily commute of thousands of New Yorkers. As part of MTA’s Vacant Unit Activation Program, artwork from YAI Arts and The International Academy of Hope (iHOPE) — YAI’s affiliate school that serves students with multiple disabilities and brain-based disorders — are now featured at key subway locations, transforming underutilized spaces into engaging and welcoming environments for riders.

“One side of the mural features animals, and the other showcases New York landscapes like the Flatiron Building and Port Authority,” said Chris Chronopoulos, a YAI Artist and lifelong New Yorker born and raised in Hell’s Kitchen. “Working on the mural was a great experience because it gave me the chance to show off a bit of my neighborhood, memorialize my dog in the artwork, and share my work with the public.”

Launched in late 2023, the MTA’s vacant retail activation program aims to repurpose empty retail units within the subway system by introducing creative, non-traditional uses such as art installations and cultural programming. The initiative seeks to make these spaces, which often remain vacant due to size or location constraints, more visually appealing and interactive for the public.

“The MTA is proud to support YAI’s artists in creating a more vibrant and welcoming environment in our stations,” said David Florio, Chief Real Estate Transactions and Operations Officer, MTA. “We’re grateful for these artists’ contributions, and we’re looking forward to finding more innovative and exciting uses for our in-station real estate.”

In this collaboration, nine YAI Artists are showcasing their mixed media pieces, “City Critters,” featuring their beloved pets and iconic New York City landmarks in “New York, We Love You!” at the Jay Street-MetroTech Station. While students at iHOPE worked together to create a one-of-a-kind mural using power mobility devices and adapted painting tools that will be showcased at the 53rd Street and 7th Avenue Station.

“YAI is thrilled to be part of this initiative that aligns with our mission of promoting inclusivity and self-expression,” said Mallory Perry, Assistant Supervisor of YAI Arts. “Art is a powerful medium for connection, and through these installations, we hope to inspire and engage the public while celebrating the creativity of the artists we support.”

MTA’s commitment to revitalizing subway spaces through art and culture reflects a broader vision of creating a more dynamic and inclusive transit experience. By showcasing artwork from YAI Arts and iHOPE, this initiative goes beyond beautification—it amplifies diverse voices, highlights the talents of artists with disabilities, and enriches the cultural fabric of New York City.

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About YAI: Founded in 1957, YAI remains at the forefront of an extraordinary movement aimed at empowering people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families. YAI and its network of affiliate agencies offer children and adults with (I/DD) a comprehensive range of services. YAI is committed to seeing beyond disability, providing opportunities for people to live, love, work, and learn in their communities. YAI’s 4,000 employees provide supportive housing, education, medical, dental, and mental health care, job training, community integration, and social enrichment for more than 20,000 people with I/DD, and their families, in New York, New Jersey, and California.

About The International Academy of Hope: Since 2013, the private school serves students from ages 5 years to 21 years old, with acquired brain injuries or other brain-based disorders, who cannot be served in their local school systems. The school meets a significant and previously unmet need in New York City by providing highly specialized education, therapy, and other services under one roof in Midtown Manhattan.

About YAI Arts: Part of the YAI Network, YAI Arts offers full-time studio access to a passionate group of adult visual artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through drawing, painting, costuming, sculpture, puppetry, and more, the artists externalize their interior worlds and communicate lived perspectives that are often silenced or ignored. YAI Artists have exhibited across New York City at venues including The Museum of Modern Art, Sotheby’s, Allouche Gallery, Spring Break Art Fair, Flux Factory, White Columns, Summertime Gallery, Ground Floor Gallery, Ace Hotel New York, Smack Mellon, and more.

MEDIA CONTACT: Kamana Shrestha: kamana.shrestha@yai.org | 646.780.9936