What: A drop-in summer arts enrichment program

Who: Children aged 4-9 years olds with caregivers

When: select Saturdays from June-October

Where: NYCHA Mitchel Houses in Mott Haven; Mill Pond Park; virtual

Current Funders: Educational Foundation of America, HW Wilson Foundation, Rose M. Badgeley Residuary Charitable Trust, NYC Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts (with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature), with support from the Mitchel Houses Tenants Association

Goals:

• To give children a safe and creative space to explore themselves and their environment during the summer months

• To develop children’s fine art skills

• To enhance children’s self-confidence and sense of pride in their community

 

Program Description: ARTSPOT was designed as a mini- arts festival to introduce children at Mitchel Houses to the natural resources of the Bronx through art, as well as to offer caregivers a free, safe place to engage their children during the hot summer months. On Saturdays from June to October, a team of Museum Teaching Artists offers a series of fun drop-in art experiences or "workshops" in different art disciplines  (music, dance, fine arts, sculpture, puppet-making) and water play for young children. Caregivers are encouraged to join their children in all activities.

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BACKGROUND

 

ARTSPOT was inspired by the Gramsci Monument erected in 2013 in the Bronx at the Forest Houses where a Swiss artist, Thomas Hirschhorn, involved the entire Forest Houses community in erecting a temporary tree house like structure inspired by the philosopher Antonio Gramsci. A small closed-in section of the monument was devoted to children where they were able to drop in at any time to do arts projects.

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