Atlanta's newest artists residency moves into its second year by offering its therapeutic support to teens and asked Atlanta creatives to step-up through advocacy by creating a monthly curriculum for the year long residency. The TAR Project or Therapeutic Artists Residency offers once-a-month individual and 2-hour group therapy sessions for free with a Licensed Professional Counselor who specializes in Expressive Therapy. At the end of the year, Atlanta is invited to see the work created during the residency at a group show at Binders Ponce City Market. The current adult residents received all sorts of rewards (i.e., $200 Binders gift cards, membership to C4 and scholarship to a class of their choice, massages, etc.) and are exploring therapeutic themes in their work, developing skills to use expression as a form of self-care and having direct support for their challenging life career path in the arts.

During the application process, we had numerous parents and teens reaching out themselves, and I made the decision that this next year of the TAR project will target 15-19 year olds based in this need. Similar to the original structure these four teens in residence will receive all the same benefits, sessions and culminating show. However, they will engage in a curriculum of monthly courses with local artist, experiential experiences, and day long internships focused around different kinds of art to offer the teens real world experiences of the current arts culture in Atlanta.
Part of the curriculum:

Jessica Caldas working with performance art and the body in response to their struggles in their lives
Melissa Coffey to do a silks course on facing your fears
Austin Frantz documenting self-portraits and the work created during the residency for portfolios
Will Massey and his team of artist that work in the elderly hospitals
Malina Rodriguez and the folks of the Work Room apprenticeship on choreographing
Tori Tinsley-Warenzak a recent GSU MFA graduate