ABSTRACT

This chapter considers “community/outreach” programs of arts non-profits that work primarily in economically sabotaged communities with populations that do not mirror the people they serve in their on-site programming. The best of the incredible community projects leave a piece of artwork behind that continues the dialogue with the public. Art-making projects can bring together folks that are different from each other to find space to be vulnerable, share differing points of view, and heal wounds inflicted through lives divided, histories hidden, and inequity continued in the present. The divide between off-site locations and an organization’s main studio is more than physical when the participants’ race, socio-economic background, and other factors play into the equation. Creating a space in a neighborhood where young people can experience the joy of clay or jewelry or other crafts or fine arts sets the stage for transformation of the individuals involved and the space itself.