Free styling in the heart of the Art District, Andrew Lujan is a part of a group of artists,performers and creators who have found a space to express themselves. It's called Projectivity.
"It's such a cool authentic organic outlet. From graffiti to painting to beat boxing, whatever your art form is, they have a way to incorporate it,” said Lujan, a local beatboxer.
The non-profit group gets funding through local grants.
They offer help to anyone who wants to learn how to explore their creative side.
“Projectivity tries to do as much as we can you to specifically to at risk youth. You don't have to run around the streets getting into trouble. We can teach them what to do with a computer or spray can or paintbrush or camera that might turn into a career,” said Christian Reinsch, the Executive Director of Projectivity.
Tiffany Porcu is one of hundreds of people who have taken part in the program since it was started a few years ago.
She says art is a way to reflect what's happening in the community, "It started off with the Pills Kills mural I did across the street," said Porcu.
That project’s theme was Staten Island's drug epidemic and raising awareness about addiction.
"It's really sad, we hope that things like this can channel people children especially from staying away from all that doing something more productive," Porcu said.
Projectivity aims to link youth with local businesses. One of the ways they've been connecting those dots is by finding shop owners who allow artists to paint on their walls, hoping they see it as attraction as opposed to an annoyance.
"At first it was difficult and challenging. Property owners, they just couldn't fathom public art being anything other than graffiti or vandalism,” said Tariq Zaid with Richmond Hood Company.
“There was nothing in the alley before and now everyday there’s people taking photos, visiting the neighborhood to see the public art."
One of the latest murals to go up on this storefront's wall, is of rapper Red Man. Projectivity hopes it serves as an inspiration for budding artists to rise to the international stage.
"If you're into hip-hop you can make a living doing that, if you're graffiti artist you can make a living doing that you just have to pursue it the right way," said Reinsch.