Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida presents:
Art By Coalition Children (ABCs) Program
WHAT:
Art By Coalition Children (ABCs) is a unique program at the Coalition for the Homeless that pairs professional artists in the community with children living at the Coalition.
The ABCs program began in October 2003 as collaboration between the Coalition and individuals representing Central Florida’s art, business and education communities.
The program features many forms of art, including photography, acrylics, poetry, music, ink, sculpture, pottery, and drawing. Each piece is created under the direction of professional, volunteer artists.
PURPOSE:
To expose and inspire the children residing at the Coalition to the various art forms using professional artists. Nearly 200 children call the Coalition home each night. Faced with the struggle of homelessness, these children need opportunities to express and discover themselves.
The ABCs program creates a creative, nurturing environment where kids learn about the Arts and have the freedom to explore. The professional artists leading the children are experts at self-expression and know how to open up a young mind to the liberating and uplifting power of the Arts. The overwhelming and ultimate result has been an increase in the children’s self-esteem and self-worth.
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE PROGRAM:
ABCs brings a different professional artist(s) into the Coalition every 6 to 8 weeks. These artists initially come for a “Meet and Greet” night to share their art form with all of the kids. The artists select their students based on the interest shown during the meet and greet session and then come weekly to further instruct and inspire those children who find they have a passion for that particular art form.
All of the artists’ “segments” as we call it, ends in a graduation ceremony where the children share what they have learned with the other children and parents through various forms of presentation.
Completed Segments:
o Program kick-off with Maryann Carroll, Highway Woman artist
o Photography presented by Anna + Riku
o Creative Writing and Poetry presented by Terry Ann Thaxton
o Geometric Sketch presented by Jason Varan
o Acrylics presented by Tiphanie Windsor
o Pottery presented by Kim Lemonakis
o Puppetry presented by Peter Effaldana
o “Visions of Emotion” presented by Gregorii
o Animal sketching presented by Christian Slade
o Folk Art presented by Ruby Williams and Jeanine Taylor
o “Stories from the Heart” presented by Donna Dowless
