Anderson Children's Foundation

Coachella Valley Art Center

Empowerment Through Art (2019-2020)

The Empowerment Through Art program is a series of workshops that will teach new art concentrations while encouraging increased peer communication, goal-oriented team work, and group dialogue. The method is to engage through an experiential setting of studio time coupled with dialogical exchanges centered on ideas of self-expression, empowerment, self-identity, social commentary, psychological catharsis, and equity & equality. The program is structured in 4-week segments with space for 15 students monthly. The goal is to deepen the interest in art - to learn what it means to develop an art practice and how to conceptualize & execute a unified body of work. In terms of social development, participants can begin to utilize the group dynamic for constructive feedback and enhanced positive peer-to-peer communication, while becoming empowered through creative individual expression. The hope is that these students can strengthen their skillset in art while developing their personal voice and honing an awareness of the world around them. This exposure will not only increase their consciousness, it will also assist them with making decisions about their future in pursuing higher education and the arts, as well as understanding the various pathways toward a successful career in creative fields.