Youth Art Team

ENCOURAGE YOUTH TO DEVELOP THEIR CREATIVE POTENTIAL.

PUBLIC ART PROJECTS: YOUTH ART TEAM'S PUBLIC ART PROJECTS ARE THE LARGEST AND MOST PUBLICLY-VISIBLE PROGRAMS. THE THREE MAIN PROJECTS OF 2021 INCLUDED: (1) SPRING BREAK CAMP ARTISTS COMPLETED ARTWORK THEY HAD STARTED PRIOR TO COVID ON THE PEACE TOGETHER PROJECT, A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT THAT BROUGHT ATTENTION TO UNDERRECOGNIZED PEOPLE, PLACES, AND STORIES IN WATERLOO THROUGH PORTRAITS OF RESIDENTS. DURING THE SAME PART OF THE YEAR, STUDENTS FROM LOWELL AND KINGSLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS STARTED AND FINISHED THEIR ARTWORK FOR THE PROJECT (THEY HAD COMPLETED INTERVIEWS AND THE LEARNING PORTION OF THE PROJECT IN 2020). THE COMPLETED COLLABORATIVE PORTRAITS WERE EXHIBITED AT THE WATERLOO CENTER FOR THE ARTS MAY THROUGH NOVEMBER OF 2021. (2) THE 4TH STREET BRIDGE MURAL, TITLED COLORFUL CONNECTION, WAS COMPLETED IN THE FALL. ARTISTS MET WEEKLY ON SUNDAYS, OCTOBER THROUGH NOVEMBER, TO WORK ON THEIR INDIVIDUAL PANELS; 68 REMAINED TO BE COMPLETED FOR THE FINAL MURAL THAT SPANS OVER 1250 LINEAR FEET. YOUTH ART TEAM'S ARTISTS AND PARTNERS CONTRIBUTED OVER 1,500 HOURS OF CREATIVE ENERGY TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT, WHICH BEGAN IN 2017. (3) YOUTH ART TEAM ARTISTS DIRECTED THEIR ENERGIES TOWARD COMPLETING THE SOON-TO-BE-LAUNCHED INTERPRETIVE WEBSITE CELEBRATING THE "OUR FREEDOM STORY" MURAL. THIS PROJECT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO RE-ENGAGE WITH YOUTH ART TEAM'S PUBLIC ARTWORK IN NEW WAYS THAT CELEBRATE THE DIVERSITY OF ARTS AND CULTURE IN OUR NORTHEAST IOWA COMMUNITY. ADDITIONAL 2021 PROJECTS INCLUDED A COLLABORATION WITH THE CEDAR VALLEY FASHION, ART AND CULTURE EXPO (ARTISTS CREATED A RUNWAY MURAL FOR THE FASHION SHOW), AND PARTICIPATION IN THE NORTH END ARTS AND MUSIC FESTIVAL WITH YOUTH ART TEAM'S FREE PORTRAIT STUDIO PROGRAM. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE, WORK, AND VISIT THE CEDAR VALLEY ARE IMPACTED BY YOUTH ART TEAM'S PUBLIC ARTWORK AND SEE IT EVERY DAY. 266 YOUTH AND 46 ADULTS DIRECTLY ENGAGED TO CREATE THE ARTS PROJECTS DESCRIBED ABOVE, WHICH REACHED APPROXIMATELY 20,000 OTHERS THROUGH EXHIBITION, PUBLIC EVENTS, AND EVERYDAY VISIBILITY THROUGHOUT 2021.

CREATIVE JOB TRAINING: THE INCREASED PROGRAMMING SPACE AVAILABLE TO YOUTH ART TEAM THROUGH ITS MOVE TO THE FORMER MASONIC TEMPLE IN 2020 IS TIED CLOSELY TO THE ADDITION OF JOB SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AND YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMMING. THESE PROGRAMS WERE CREATED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF SPECIFIC YOUTH ART TEAM ARTISTS AND SUPPORTED THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS OF TAKING ON PROFESSIONAL COMMISSIONS. TWENTY-FOUR ARTISTS BECAME CERTIFIED TO SELL THEIR WORK VIA THE ARTIST TRAINING CAMP PILOT HELD IN JULY OF 2021. ARTIST TRAINING CAMPS TAUGHT ARTISTS HOW TO VALUE THEIR INDIVIDUAL TIME AND IDEAS, TO CONSIDER THE "MARKET" FOR THEIR WORK, AND TO BUDGET THEIR MATERIALS THROUGH REAL OPPORTUNITIES TO SELL THEIR WORK TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. TWENTY-FOUR ARTISTS SOLD THEIR WORK THROUGH THE SHOP AT HEADQUARTERS AND EVENTS SUCH AS THE NORTH END ARTS AND MUSIC FESTIVAL. FIVE CERTIFIED ARTISTS COMPLETED PRIVATE COMMISSIONS. YOUTH ART TEAM EMPLOYED THREE ARTISTS IN 2021 TO ASSIST WITH WEEKLY TASKS AT HEADQUARTERS, SUCH AS EVENT PREP, INVENTORYING, AND PAYMENTS/DEPOSITS (INCLUDING LEARNING HOW TO WRITE CHECKS TO ARTISTS FOR THEIR COMMISSION PAYMENTS), AND WORK ON THE INTERPRETIVE WEBSITE. 56 YOUTH AND 14 ADULTS DIRECTLY ENGAGED IN THE CREATIVE JOB TRAINING PROGRAMMING DESCRIBED ABOVE.

GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES: YOUTH ART TEAM RESTRUCTURED PROGRAMMING AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC AND INTRODUCED TAILORED PROGRAMMING SPECIFIC TO ARTISTS' NEW OR CHANGING NEEDS IN 2021. ALL 20 YOUTH ARTISTS IN THE MENTORING PROGRAM MAINTAINED POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR MENTORS IN 2021, WITH SEVERAL MEETING REGULARLY FOR ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATION, A MEAL, TUTORING, OR OTHER ACTIVITIES. GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES ALSO PROVIDE PERSONAL SUPPORT TO YOUTH ART TEAM ARTISTS AND THEIR FAMILIES. TRANSPORTATION CONTINUES TO BE A MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR YOUTH ART TEAM ARTISTS. A DEDICATED CORE OF VOLUNTEERS HELP WITH RIDES FOR YOUTH ART TEAM ARTISTS WHEN NEED ARISES. GENERAL PROGRAMS CONTINUED IN 2021 INCLUDE PROJECTS AND MEETINGS OF THE IMAGINATION COALITION FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR, AS WELL AS OPEN STUDIO DURING THE SPRING SEMESTER. 59 YOUTH AND 32 ADULTS DIRECTLY ENGAGED IN THE GENERAL PROGRAM SERVICES.