Community Based Arts

I just visited a great arts program (Piedrabuenarte) in Argentina that brings kids together from lower income communities to interact through art. How many of you are involved in community based arts programs? Tell us about these projects, why you got involved, the changes you have seen as a result, and any resources needed to continue the project's success.

Tags: Community Based Arts, Piedrabuenarte, artist, artists, culture

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Permalink Reply by Alaine Handa on May 21, 2010 at 1:28pm

I have showcased my project, Chameleon to everyone of all ages and done interactive workshops with them in addition to the performances. The dance, the film, the workshops really strikes a chord among those involved. I'm not going to sugar coat it. The biggest challenge is finding outlets in which my artists involved in the project can share their work through performing and leading workshops and get paid to do so. I love doing community based arts because it really impacts those that need it but getting the grants or getting a stipend for doing it helps me and my artists a lot. Its not easy trying to secure funding, nor the cost of living is getting any cheaper. Its hard to get my artists or dancers involved in a project if its ALL purely voluntary.
(Sorry for the rant, I'm running out of money right now)
Check out my kickstarter campaign: http://kck.st/d1iuYx

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Permalink Reply by Lorrie Bortner on May 26, 2010 at 8:29am

My dream is to have a public art summer works program for youth in Taos, New Mexico, USA. We currently have designed a mural for 1/4 of the town's 30 foot water tower. Just awaiting the sandblasting and priming and we are on to the work.
We need more funding!!! We should start painting in July for a month.
L.Bortner www.lorriebortner.com

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Permalink Reply by sara jecko on May 26, 2010 at 9:39am

I am about to be on my way to work in the bronx, at this charter school as a teaching artist. It's somewhat community based arts.. although it's usually side by side with academics... results? It's amazing to see what captures (or does not capture) these young people. Some shine when they sing for the first time, others can't stop dancing, and the quietest ones end up being quite the conductors.

The non-profit i work for primarily caters to schools who often do not have the arts otherwise. My job is to try to incorporate these arts so that the teahers can teach through them, instead of the textbook. Sometimes it works, sometimes not so much. But the kids always get a chance to do something they would have not have gotten to do otherwise, and therefore learn something about themselves and their peers. And the arts!

BUT I am now brainstorming on how to put together a different program, also inherently community based, but not neccessarily aligned with academics. I would like to have a workshop on jazz/composing.songwriting/rocking out/ performance/ and yeah, environmentally aware ( i know, that part seems like a tangent, but i have to figure out how to explain it), program for kids. Kids and teachers, kids and parents, i guess, a community.

Any ideas on how to formulate this? Collaborate? I'm based in NYC and the Hudson Valley (new paltz).

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Permalink Reply by Alaine Handa on June 1, 2010 at 2:52am

Hi Sara, I'm also a teaching artist based in NYC. I totally understand the dilemma of being tied to the academic system. However, I also believe that it keeps some troubled kids interested in school so it is very crucial to have teaching artists constantly coming to teach different art forms in the schools. They may not be headed towards a career as an artist but at least they are able to express themselves in a different manner that is productive rather than destructive.

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Permalink Reply by Ross Holzman on November 28, 2010 at 8:04pm

International Arts for Peace Project: The Peace Exchange needs your support! This school year 10,000 or more students from schools across the US are sending peace cards with art and messages of peace to an equivalent number of students in India.

Pledge Peace! http://tinyurl.com/peacexchange

We need your support to make this project happen NOW! Help us get to $20,000 in the next 3 weeks!

If you want to get your school involved, or partner up, check us out: www.createpeaceproject.org

Peace and Love,
Ross, Founder Create Peace Project