Former Basketball Player, AR Cooper Revitalizes Local Basketball Courts, First One in College Park
AR Cooper is a native of Southwest Atlanta and a graduate of Westlake High School. A former basketball player and coach who has traveled worldwide for his profession has seen how both public Art and sports can bring power and peace to a community. From this understanding comes his passion for Art in the Paint. The organization's mission is to revitalize outdoor neighborhood basketball courts and install large-scale artwork onto the courts to strengthen communities, promote safety, inspire creativity, and encourage play.
Art in the Paint has various programs, but the first and foremost is Home Court Advantage, which aims to revitalize outdoor neighborhood basketball courts and install large-scale art murals on the court through partnerships and local municipalities. Once installed, neighborhood organizations can partner with Art in the Paint by implementing programs like yoga classes, food resources, literacy programs and physical fitness initiatives connected directly to the community.
Cooper hopes to complete three courts in the Tri-Cities and nearby communities. Below are before and after shots of the first court completed at College Park Housing Authority, which opened on September 1. Several local sponsors chipped in with food donations to make it a great day for all stakeholders. A court in East Point has been approved by the City Council and slated to begin soon. Ultimately, Cooper envisions building courts worldwide and is already working on negotiating Art in the Paint courts in Nigeria, Spain and Australia.
"Art spans across language divide and communicates to anyone who lays eyes on it," says Cooper. He believes that providing access to Art in all communities will allow children everywhere to benefit from its beauty and wonder. Statistics show that exposure to Art and programming can empower children in and out of the classroom.
"I've seen too many kids turned away from community centers and sports programs because of a lack of money. Those kids need love, support and programming too. The purpose of Art in the Paint is to provide those things and more," said AR Cooper.
Much of his life off-the-court has been devoted to empowering young people to develop healthier lifestyles – physically, mentally, and financially. He wrote a children's book called Cooper Shapes Up, which challenges young people to make better food choices and increase exercise. He has donated more than 1000 books to children in the US, Ghana, and the Dominican Republic. He hosts charity basketball games in the Atlanta metro area, such as the annual Turkey Classic, which has fed over 2500 families in the last four years.
Cooper is the former Fulton County Youth Commissioner. He owns two developmental basketball franchises, both named the Metro Ballers, of the Women's United Basketball Association (WUBA), and the United Basketball Association (UBA). He hosts basketball clinics for under-served athletes in countries his team plays, including Australia, Germany, and Lagos, Nigeria.
Especially during the present pandemic, getting children into museums to see art and other exhibits is often tricky. However, we know that in a 2018 study done by the NRPA, 3 in 4 Americans say they live within walking distance of a local park and that, on average, they visit it more than twice a month (NRPA.org). Therefore, bringing community art to the park is a perfect way to provide that exposure without requiring much lift. Along with that, getting local community artists to capture the vision and hope for a specific community will create a sense of pride and unity in such a time of divide and unrest.
Art in the Paint's overall mission is to mesh Art and sport and spark conversations of hope and change within the community. To contribute to this cause, you can donate to their GoFundme campaign or contact Art In The Paint directly at artinthepaint@gmail.com. They would love the help of contractors, artists, and media specialists and any partner organizations to get as many courts as possible out into our communities.
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