ARTizapán is a nonprofit Civil Association (A.C.) that recovers public spaces in the Progreso Tizapán neighborhood of Mexico City through community murals and urban art. It was founded in October 2015 as the winning project of ITAM's Public Policy Competition.

Where is ARTizapán located?

ARTizapán operates in the Progreso Tizapán neighborhood in the Álvaro Obregón borough of Mexico City, Mexico. Tizapán is a historic neighborhood near ITAM university.

How many murals has ARTizapán painted?

ARTizapán has painted over 150 murals since 2015 across schools, alleyways, crosswalks, parks, and public buildings in the Progreso Tizapán neighborhood of Mexico City, covering more than 25,000 square feet.

Who founded ARTizapán?

ARTizapán was founded by Juan Pablo Pietrini Sánchez. The project won ITAM's Public Policy Competition on October 28, 2015, beating over 50 multidisciplinary teams.

How does ARTizapán impact the community?

ARTizapán impacts the community in three ways: (1) reorganizing public space and reducing visual clutter, activating spirals of positive behavior, (2) rebuilding social fabric by fostering community ownership of shared spaces, and (3) creating identity and appeal that attracts visitors and economic activity.

What is the Broken Windows Theory and how does ARTizapán apply it?

The Broken Windows Theory states that visible signs of disorder and abandonment loosen social norms and encourage vandalism, while environments with signs of order and care motivate positive behavior. ARTizapán applies this by painting murals on neglected walls, replacing visual clutter with art that catalyzes community transformation.

How can I volunteer with ARTizapán?

You can volunteer for mural brigades by contacting ARTizapán at jpietrin@stanford.edu. No painting experience is required. ARTizapán organizes weekend brigades where volunteers paint alongside professional muralists from the Axolotl Collective.

How can I donate to ARTizapán?

You can donate to ARTizapán by contacting jpietrin@stanford.edu. Donations support paint materials, artist fees, and program expansion. ARTizapán is in the process of becoming an authorized donee (donataria autorizada) in Mexico.

What is the Axolotl Collective?

The Axolotl Collective, led by Oscar Axo (one of Mexico's finest urban muralists), is ARTizapán's primary artistic partner. The collaboration began with the Río Hondo Alleyway project and has resulted in many dozens of murals in Tizapán.

What is the connection between ARTizapán and ITAM?

ARTizapán was born at ITAM (Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México) as the winning project of its Public Policy Competition. ITAM later allowed students to fulfill their mandatory social-service requirement through ARTizapán, providing ongoing student participation and leadership.

Can companies sponsor a mural brigade with ARTizapán?

Yes, ARTizapán organizes corporate-sponsored mural brigades. Companies can sponsor a brigade as a team-building and social impact activity. Contact jpietrin@stanford.edu for corporate partnership details.

What are examples of similar urban art transformation projects worldwide?

ARTizapán draws inspiration from Beco Do Batman in São Paulo (alley transformed into cultural attraction), Palmitas in Pachuca, Mexico (209 houses painted, reducing youth violence by 65%), and Wynwood Walls in Miami (warehouse district generating over $2B annually through street art).

ARTizapán — Recovering Public Spaces Through Community Murals in Mexico City

What is ARTizapán?

ARTizapán is a nonprofit organization that seeks to recover public spaces in the Progreso Tizapán neighborhood through community murals and urban art with positive messages.

"The town of murals"

ARTizapán's vision is to transform Tizapán into the "town of murals": for the neighborhood to gain its own character and appeal that can spark economic development through visits and new businesses.

Broken Windows Theory

Visible signs of disorder and abandonment can loosen social norms and make vandalism easier — even among nonviolent people. Likewise, environments with signs of order and care motivate greater order and care, generating spirals of positive behavior.

Key Insight: If art and care can generate spirals of positive behavior, then every mural painted is a catalyst for community transformation.

The Zimbardo Experiment (1969)

Zimbardo left two cars with hoods open and no plates: one in the Bronx (NY) and another in Palo Alto (CA), to observe how people responded to "abandonment" signals. In the Bronx — an area perceived as neglected — stripping began within 10 minutes. In Palo Alto, the car remained untouched for over a week; when Zimbardo smashed a window with a sledgehammer, others joined in and the car was destroyed within hours.

Inspiration

Global success stories that prove urban art transforms communities

Beco Do Batman

São Paulo, Brazil

A narrow alley in Vila Madalena transformed by street art into one of São Paulo's most visited cultural attractions. What began as unauthorized graffiti evolved into a curated open-air gallery that drives tourism and local commerce.

Palmitas

Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico

The Mexican government's "Macro Mural" project painted 209 houses across an entire hillside neighborhood, reducing youth violence by 65% and becoming a symbol of how art can heal communities from the outside in.

Wynwood Walls

Miami, Florida, USA

A once-neglected warehouse district transformed into the world's premier outdoor street art destination. Wynwood now generates over $2B in economic activity annually, proving that murals can be the foundation of urban revival.

Impact

Three ways murals transform a neighborhood

Reorganize Public Space

Murals reorganize public space and reduce visual clutter, activating spirals of positive behavior that ripple through the entire neighborhood.

Rebuild Social Fabric

Taking back public space in community fosters a sense of ownership over the commons and rebuilds the social fabric among those involved.

Create Identity & Appeal

Art gives meaning to public space and endows it with its own identity and appeal, attracting visitors and greater economic activity.

Previous Supporters

Our Story

A decade of transforming walls into windows of hope

I

The Spark

October 2015

ARTizapán was born as the winning project of ITAM's Public Policy Competition, beating over 50 multidisciplinary teams. The final round took place in the Raúl Baillères Auditorium on October 28, 2015.

ARTizapán initially received support from COMEX, ITAM student organizations, Héctor Cruz (muralist at Mexico's Supreme Court and native of Tizapán), and Mexican muralist Esteban Fuentes de María, who led the first mural "The Wings of Tizapán" at the Ricardo Gómez Public Elementary School, with more than 100 elementary students as co-authors.

II

Expansion

2016 – 2018

ARTizapán continued painting schools, alleyways, crosswalks, and parks, organizing brigades ranging from 1 to over 20 murals in a single weekend.

ARTizapán painted the Río Hondo Alleyway, cementing an alliance with Axolotl Collective led by Oscar Axo, one of Mexico's finest urban muralists. This collaboration continues to this day and has resulted in many dozens of murals.

III

Institutional Recognition

2019 – 2022

ARTizapán carried out its first collaboration with the Álvaro Obregón City government, painting macro-murals at the Álvaro Obregón Youth Theater, a large-scale project of over one thousand square meters of urban art.

ITAM supported ARTizapán by allowing university volunteers to fulfill their mandatory social-service requirement (a legal requirement for undergraduates in Mexico) through ARTizapán. This made ongoing student participation and leadership possible for years.

IV

New Chapter

2023 – Present

ARTizapán carried out its first collaboration leading corporate-sponsored brigades, opening a new avenue for community engagement and funding.

ARTizapán began the process of formalizing as a nonprofit Civil Association (A.C.) and becoming an authorized donee, to facilitate the reception of larger donations.

See Our Latest Mural

10 years of transforming Tizapán, one wall at a time

Secundaria Técnica No. 11

ARTizapán painted a mural at Secundaria Técnica No. 11 in Tizapán featuring the image of José M. Hernández — a Mexican astronaut who as a child was a migrant farmworker. His story is a powerful reminder for students to keep believing in their dreams and fighting to achieve them.

The school unfortunately faces high dropout rates and gang recruitment among its students. Through art, ARTizapán aims to inspire hope and offer an alternative narrative — one where perseverance and dreams can overcome even the toughest circumstances.

Momentum

All the pieces are coming together

Artistic Direction

Professional muralists and the Axolotl Collective bring world-class artistic vision to every wall, ensuring each mural tells a story that resonates with the community.

Volunteering

ITAM social service integration, corporate brigade programs, and a growing network of passionate volunteers who return weekend after weekend.

Financing

Corporate sponsorships, institutional grants, and individual donations fund materials, artist fees, and program expansion across Tizapán.

Innovative Government

The Álvaro Obregón borough has become a true partner — facilitating permits, providing resources, and recognizing murals as public infrastructure.

Institutional Relations

Partnerships with universities, social impact centers, and international organizations amplify our reach and create pathways for knowledge exchange.

The Team

Juan Pablo Pietrini Sánchez

Harvard MPA & Stanford MBA

USA

Alejandro Roemer González

University of Chicago PhD & MA

USA

Isabela Magaña Reyes

ITAM

Mexico

Be Part of the Next Mural

The walls are waiting. The brushes are ready. All we need is you.

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