Weekly Art Classes for Homeless Children

I am seeking funding to teach a season of art classes for children at Chapman Paternships Homeless Shelter with projects that cover self expression, art techniques, emotional health, and sustainable practices. Students would be given the opportunity to make art in a safe space with their peers on a weekly basis for a full season, culminating in a student exhibition and party with the shelter families. Much of these children have no other access to arts programming with this program serving as their first in depth foray into art making. These diverse classes are eager to make art and learn about various techniques with a dedicated instructor.

Students at Chapman range in age from 3 to 17 and come from a variety of backgrounds with many students being BIPOC. My class program for the shelter is created with their needs and situation in mind, and fully tailored to their interests. My classes not only provide a space for exploration and expression, but lead to noticeable boosts in confidence, expanded vocabulary, and general optimism. Classes include painting, fiber art, collage, sculpture, print making, dyeing, illustration, and more.
I expect attendance of 20+ students per class with an estimated total outreach of 100+ students over the season.

I have a wonderful relationship with the shelter and their staff culminated over last year as I taught at the shelter in conjunction with my 2023 ProjectArt residency (which I organized). The shelter has extremely limited funding for arts programming, but they've been requesting my classes since ProjectArt ended last July 2023. It would be a huge honor to go back and teach a program that I design for the shelter. Beyond it having a positive impact on the children it has indelibly impacted my personal professional art practice in innumerable ways.

Images from past programming and workshops are linked below
https://www.pangeakalivirga.com/ecotopiafamilyphotoalbum
https://www.pangeakalivirga.com/workshops

Financé par Miami, FL (March 2024)