We are so grateful to be the recipient of a Central Minnesota Arts Board grant to support Youth Arts Initiative programming leading up to our spring showcase in May. This $5,000 grant will support our artist mentors and supplies needed to work with youth on projects that help them express their feelings and emotions during the pandemic. We are partnering with CentraCare and the St. Cloud Police Department throughout the winter and spring to have meaningful conversations about the tough issues youth are facing during COVID-19. Youth will talk with mental health providers to build strategies for emotional wellness. They will talk with police officers about the hot topics of policing in our nation and discuss ways to build harmony with youth, communities of color and police officers in the St. Cloud area. Youth will take this learning back to their respective art studios and create art that speaks to these topics. Final projects will be exhibited as part of our spring showcase, which will be either a hybrid or virtual event. We also hope to install a portable exhibit at CentraCare locations to help our community heal through art.
“This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Central MN Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.”