LIVING ARTS
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Mission Statement
Living Arts ignites creativity in the lives of Detroit youth through the performing, visual, and media arts. We envision a future in which all youth will have access to engaging, high-quality arts experiences, so that they can lead with confidence and empathy, drawing strength from their cultures and communities.
About This Cause
Living Arts is a 501(c)3 Detroit nonprofit located in the heart of Southwest Detroit. Working at the intersection of art and learning, we provide a wide-range of arts experiences and arts-integrated education to students as young as 3 months (with caregiver participation) through 18 years. Our programming ranges from early childhood education to K-12 in-school artist residencies to robust afterschool arts classes, and more. Living Arts began in 1999 as Southwest Dance, a grassroots project conceived by a group of artists who saw that youth in Southwest Detroit needed safe, constructive after-school activities. Since our founding, we have served 50,000 Detroit youth and added a range of performing, visual, media, and literary arts experiences. We now impact an average of 3,000 students and hundreds of teachers and caregivers annually. Living Arts has three primary programs, with supplemental programming being offered when the need arises. To begin with, we offer Early Childhood Education through artist residencies and workshops in school and community settings for children ages 3 months to 6 years. By integrating the arts into learning, our residencies support a child's path toward kindergarten readiness, promoting success in Detroit schools. We additionally provide in-school art residencies for grades K-12. These classes cover a variety of specialties, including visual, performing, literary, and media arts. These programs integrate the arts into grade level standards for math, science, social studies, and English language arts. In-school artists work closely with classroom teachers to develop this customized programming. Our last major program is also the most in-demand. Our Out-of-School Arts (OSA) youth classes and workshops run year-round at the Ford Resource & Engagement Center (FREC) at the Mexicantown Mercado in Southwest Detroit. We offer classes in dance, visual art, and media arts outside of school hours. The program also houses our youth dance ensembles and The SPOT, a teen-led open studio program. Additionally, Living Arts prioritizes social-emotional learning and youth development. Our goal is not to simply teach and develop artistic proficiency in our students; we empower them, we teach them to use their voices, and we set them up for success, not just in the arts, but in life. Many parents say their children would not have access to arts programming without us. Students tell us time after time that our programming made them more confident, helped them express themselves, and helped them build friendships. We do not turn anyone away for inability to pay. We provide both partial and full scholarships, and at any given time 70-90% of our students actively receive this financial assistance. This is only possible because of the dedication and support of our corporate partners, foundations, and donors. Living Arts centers our students and parents/caregivers in everything we do, and we provide ample opportunities for students to both lead and influence our programs. In addition to a formalized Teen Council, Living Arts also maintains a Parent Council. Parents and students are in the best position to articulate their specific needs and concerns, and our community-centric approach also includes Teaching Artists, staff members, Board members, and community members, all of whom bring a wide-range of expertise to the organization. Working at the intersection of art and learning, Living Arts commits to the following set of fundamental beliefs: Respect for Young People | Directed by youth voice, we honor the self-determination of young people of all ages and commit to the creation of meaningful exchange based on developmentally appropriate practice. Respect for Relationships | In community with one another, we remain responsive to the visions that families, organizations, funders, and individuals bring to the work. We commit to co-creation with one another as we grow. Respect for Artistic Excellence | Knowing that artists are uniquely positioned to develop young people and push challenging boundaries, we demand inquiry around the role of the arts as it intersects with education and community. We commit to the professional development and advancement of the teaching artist profession.