"Art is not a part of life, art is not an addition to life; it is the essence of those pieces of us that make us feel fulfilled, that give us hope, that give us dreams that provide the world a view very different than what it would have been without us." ~Hassan Davis

Welcome

Happy new mentor year!

Welcome mentors, new and old!  We are excited to kick off 2012 with such a great group of volunteers. 

This month, we began the weekly mentor program in two new facilities:  the Boys & Girls Club—Jerry Gamble in North Minneapolis and the Boys & Girls Club Mt Airy in St Paul.  The new facilities are working with elementary and teenage youth in four different groups.  It is exciting to be continually reaching out to youth and providing access to art in many different neighborhoods of the Twin Cities.

Ever wonder why mentoring matters?  Click here.

Program Update

announcing: summer mentorship opportunities!

We are very excited to announce that we received a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board for their Arts Learning program. We will be partnering with renowned photographer Wing Young Huie and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts to create an inspiring arts education project that is influenced by the Museum’s exhibit: “The Sports Show: Minnesota.” This photography exhibit will feature Minnesota in sports from the late 19th century to the present day. The project will begin with a visit to the MIA for a guide-led tour of the exhibit. After viewing the exhibit, students will discuss the three works of art featured in the classroom curriculum. Wing Young Huie will work directly with 75 middle and high school students. An additional 75 will be served through participation in field trips, exhibitions, and the curriculum that is tied to the MIA’s exhibit. The project will conclude with an exhibit of all the students in the program at the MIA at the end of summer that will include a public reception that you will all be invited to attend. We would love to have all our volunteers around this sumer. Please consider deepening the impact you've made with your mentees by participating in summer mentorship. For more information, email Rebecca.

Guest Artist Policy Change

Artists no longer need to make an in-person visit with Free Arts staff.  They DO, however, need to speak with one of us over the phone to talk about project plans and get oriented on the facility at which they will be a guest artist.

Outstanding Volunteer

Let us brag about you!

In honor of National Mentor Month, and because we are so grateful for our mentors, we would love to be able to brag about you to your employer or school.  All you need to do is click here to provide us with contact information, and we will do the rest!

Mentor to Mentor Corner

The next MtM meeting is on February 9th at 7:30am at Muddy Waters Bar and Eatery. We will be planning for the HandsOn Volunteer Fair!

weekly survey

Team leads: Please fill out your weekly survey! These surveys are critical to Free Arts and allow us to document how many children we are helping. Bring a small notepad and write down the information you will need for the survey. This survey should not take longer than 10 minutes per week and it will provide Free Arts with valuable information. You will find the survey on the website under the volunteer section, or by following this link.

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