Columbia University’s Teachers College is teaming with arts organization ProjectArt to bring free arts education to students in underserved communities.
The partnership allows for graduate students in the college’s Art and Art Education program (a total of 24 teachers in training) to teach visual arts classes to school-age children (ages 4 to 17) in a number of the New York City’s public libraries.
Not only will Teachers College’s students aid ProjectArt, but the college itself will offer training for all teaching artists working with the organization. The college will also spearhead developing a form of assessment to measure the impact of ProjectArt’s services. This partnership will boost the efforts of ProjectArt to offer cost-effective programming in its six partner libraries in Harlem, the south Bronx, central Brooklyn, and Queens.
I spoke to ProjectArt founder Adarsh Alphons to learn more about his organization, who it serves, and how to get kids involved in a program such as this.
Shnieka Johnson: What prompted the founding of ProjectArt?
Adarsh Alphons: In 2011, with little more than a bag full of art supplies and borrowed office space in Harlem, I began ProjectArt. There was one goal and one goal only: to put paintbrushes in the hands of as many children [as possible] that don’t have adequate access to arts education.
Soon, friends became teachers, parents became volunteers, and kids became students. Over the last three years, with the help of hundreds of people who have donated their time, money, and resources, ProjectArt has created a model of change that can confront the national arts education crisis, and impact youth on a large scale while keeping our costs low. The resulting model is infinitely scalable, while spurring excitement at one of our nation’s oldest institutions — its libraries.
One of the incredible things about this journey has been the inspiring and generous people that ProjectArt has had the good fortune of working with. Having started with very little, ProjectArt has been lucky to have met [these volunteers] and is continually surprised by the generosity of others.
SJ: What is the demographic of the children involved?
AA: ProjectArt’s participants are at-risk inner city youth ages 4 to 17 years old. We hold our programs in low socioeconomic-status neighborhoods with a high, discernible need for free after-school programs, during youth’s most vulnerable hours, 3 to 6 pm. We target this specific population because of the extensive research that has been done demonstrating the positive impact arts education has on the development of socioeconomically disadvantaged youth.
SJ: How did the partnership with the public libraries come to fruition?
AA: Since 2008, public libraries in New York City have faced a cumulative budget cut of $68 million, which has directly affected the programming available to its communities, which has contributed to the library’s inability to appeal to a wider audience. ProjectArt realized that these “failing institutions” would be the perfect place to offer our free, high-quality art classes — thus keeping our costs low and revitalizing these historic institutions with the classes that they desperately need in order to stay relevant within today’s changing society.
Our pilot programming in conjunction with a library institution was first realized in 2013 as ProjectArt [when we] partnered with the Hamilton Grange Library in West Harlem.
SJ: What boroughs do you currently offer programming in?
AA: ProjectArt currently operates in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. By the end of the 2015 calendar year, ProjectArt will be operating out of 20 libraries throughout all five boroughs.
SJ: Is there a set curriculum or do the teaching artists design their own?
AA: ProjectArt does not have a set curriculum but rather includes art history surveys that are context-led to reflect the cultural sensitivities of the communities we serve. We strive to recognize and respond to the unique makeup of the communities in which we teach and therefore our teachers design their own curriculums, so that they can tailor lessons to their classes’ needs. This could mean anything from incorporating lessons on local folk culture to projects that give students the opportunity to share traditions with their classmates.
SJ: How often is the children’s work exhibited?
AA: We believe that sharing children’s art with society is an integral part of the child’s growth as creative achievers. Furthermore, we believe that these artists deserve recognition for their work and the opportunity to develop insight about the artistic community. With the help of galleries, businesses, interior designers, and developers, our students’ work is showcased three times a year, at the conclusion of each semester — spring, summer, and fall in highly visible and well-known art galleries in Chelsea. Additionally, at the conclusion of the gallery show, our students exhibit their artwork in library exhibitions where their work is shared and celebrated within the student’s own community.
SJ: How can parents get their children involved?
AA: Parents can register their children by filling out our registration form at either the library branches or by contacting Tadia Lynch, ProjectArt’s Head of Programs. Tadia can be reached at tadia
Visit www.proje
Shnieka Johnson is an education consultant and freelance writer. She is based in Manhattan where she resides with her husband and son. Contact her via her website: www.shnie
