LIVING ARTS BLOG
We've Reached the Halfway Mark!
I've missed seeing our students and artists these past months—and am excited to share Living Arts' newest video that brings to life the powerful role that our Teaching Artists play in Detroit's classrooms!
While schools and programs have been paused, our online campaign has provided Living Arts with the resources to find entirely new ways to connect with our students and bring them opportunities to create and feel good about themselves. They need experiences to release and explore their feelings more than ever and we are grateful to all of you who have donated and made Living Arts At Home possible!
It's been fun to see our students' faces on Zoom and share with you what they've been creating by using #LivingArtsAtHome through social media. We're committed to creating new content to keep Detroit's youth and families engaged in the arts throughout the summer—and we'll need your help to keep it going.
We're working now to reach the halfway point in our $200,0000 campaign by June 1st. If you have not yet given, I hope you'll consider a gift that will bring movement, music, drawing, and other art experiences to Detroit youth so that they can stay connected and process their challenging circumstances.
Finally, a special shout out to Matt Reznik at Mindfield for producing a video that speaks so beautifully to the role that Living Arts and our Teaching Artists play in the lives of our youth. Thank you, Matt!
I continue to be very grateful for your partnership and hope you will share Living Arts' video on social media to inspire others to support our work!
Alissa Novoselick
Executive Director
We Are Live With #LivingArtsAtHome!!
Welcome to Living Arts At Home, a new online music, visual art, writing, and dance program for youth of all ages and families! We hope you’ll enjoy these fun activities that help children, teens, and families explore their relationships and express their full range of emotions, in healthy ways by using imagination and creativity.
We'll be highlighting and launching themes every other week to help work through Emotion, Connection, Creativity, Perspective, and Self-Determination with Living Arts Teaching Artists online.
Our first theme is Emotion! Head on over to Living Arts At Home or dive right in by clicking the age range that best suits you and your family, below!
Alissa Novoselick
Executive Director
#GivingTuesdayNow
Dear Living Arts Supporters,
I am in awe of how our community's generosity has lifted up our organization these past weeks—and so grateful for all the ways that people have been willing to share their expertise, talents, time, and other resources with us.
Despite the challenges and loss we've all faced, hundreds of people have helped Living Arts continue to be here for our Detroit youth and families.
We have so much to be grateful for and hope you'll join us in celebrating 5 Days of Gratitude leading up to #GivingTuesdayNow on May 5th, a global day of giving and unity. We're looking forward to posting daily shoutouts to all the youth, parents, artists, volunteers, and others who make us proud and cheer us on!
Today, I'm thrilled to announce the The Peck Foundation has offered to double every gift we receive between now and May 5th—up to a total of $3,000!
Whether you give $5, $10, or $25 during our 5 Days of Gratitude leading up to #GivingTuesdayNow, you'll have twice the impact!
I hope you'll follow along on Twitter, Instagram, and/or Facebook and share, tag, mention, and celebrate all the people you're grateful for in your own life!
Alissa Novoselick
Executive Director
Thanks to The Peck Foundation, your generosity between now and May 5th will mean twice as much for the youth we serve.
Living Arts Event Canceled
It is with a heavy heart that I share the news that Framing the Future: An Evening for Living Arts has been canceled. In light of the uncertainty surrounding the duration and extent of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are taking this step to prioritize the health and safety of everyone in our community.
Hello Living Arts supporters —
It is with a heavy heart that I share the news that Framing the Future: An Evening for Living Arts has been canceled. In light of the uncertainty surrounding the duration and extent of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are taking this step to prioritize the health and safety of everyone in our community.
I hope you will stay tuned for details about our alternative initiative, which will help ensure that Living Arts is able to continue meet the needs of Detroit area youth in their classrooms as soon possible.
If you are already an event ticket holder, please consider redirecting your ticket purchase as a donation to Living Arts. Framing the Future is our largest fundraiser of the year and your support will be more important that ever in the months ahead.
If you choose to donate your ticket purchase, your gift will be directed to and recognized as part of an upcoming digital campaign. The campaign will help ensure that Living Arts is able to continue to meet the needs of Detroit area youth in their classrooms again as soon possible.
If you would like your ticket purchase refunded, please reach out to tara@livingartsdetroit.org with your request or call Living Arts at (313) 841-4765 by Friday, March 20th.
We thank you for your continued support—and extend our tremendous gratitude to all of our committed sponsors.
Alissa Novoselick
Executive Director
Here's How We're Responding to COVID-19
Hi Living Arts supporters -
In the last few days, so many of you have reached out to me and Living Arts' staff and board members with your concern and well wishes. Your messages and conversations have been a great source of encouragement as we navigate new challenges together.
Our response to the COVID-19 crisis has been moving quickly and I want to update you on some of the ways we are responding to the needs of our youth, Teaching Artists, and staff.
Hi Living Arts supporters -
In the last few days, so many of you have reached out to me and Living Arts' staff and board members with your concern and well wishes. Your messages and conversations have been a great source of encouragement as we navigate new challenges together.
Our response to the COVID-19 crisis has been moving quickly and I want to update you on some of the ways we are responding to the needs of our youth, Teaching Artists, and staff. As always, we are directing all of our energy, creativity, and resources to best support our community's children and families.
As you know, we have canceled all programming through April 5th in compliance with Governor Whitmer's school closure mandate—which means that our Teaching Artists will not be working in the coming three weeks and our students will not be getting necessary educational supports. We remain committed to doing everything we can at this time to mitigate these losses.
To that end, I am glad to share that:
We are committed to supporting our Teaching Artists financially during this time. Our goal is to provide compensation through April 5th, based on the hours of service each artist would have provided through that date if these extraordinary events had not occurred;
Staff will be actively connecting our young people and their families to resources for food, academic, and social support throughout Metro Detroit and Teaching Artists will be checking in on their students;
We are working on new, creative ways to engage students in programming remotely;
Staff members will continue to work remotely in order to practice social distancing; and
We remain in conversation with the larger arts community and funders to explore how we can participate in efforts to support individual artists in our region.
Thank you for making all this possible with your support and partnership.
I hope you will continue to reach out to me with your questions, concerns, or ideas as we continue doing the work we love!
Wishing you and your loved ones good health,
Alissa Novoselick
Executive Director
Program Closure through April 5
In light of Govornor Gretchen Whitmer's announcement to close all K-12 schools, all Living Arts programs will be closed through April 5th in order to contribute to keeping our communities well.
We are monitoring the COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation via local, national, and international public health authorities and will send updates regarding our programs as the situation changes.
In light of Govornor Gretchen Whitmer's announcement to close all K-12 schools, all Living Arts programs will be closed through April 5th in order to contribute to keeping our communities well.
We are monitoring the COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation via local, national, and international public health authorities and will send updates regarding our programs as the situation changes.
Living Arts remains proudly committed to the health and well-being of our students, staff, Teaching Artists, and the larger Detroit-area community at this time.
We thank you for your understanding and wish you all good health.
Alissa Novoselick
Executive Director
Artists Strengthen and Heal Money Relationships
Work of Art is an annual event that addresses the real labor of working as an artist or creative in today's world. Living Arts invited Detroit-area teaching artists and 1099 contractors to attend the event.
Mary Jane of Cash Flow Tax and Administrative Services discussing resources for small business owners and contractors. All photos: Julie Howells for J. Lindsey Photos
Work of Art is an annual event that addresses the real labor of working as an artist or creative in today's world. Living Arts invited Detroit-area teaching artists and contractors to attend the event. Held on Friday, February 21 at the FREC, this workshop on financial literacy really got at the heart of what so many of us working multiple part-time jobs and contract gigs go through: organizing and managing finances can become a larger and more complicated process then our education may have prepared us for.
Rhiannon Chester-Bey (Undercurrent Healing Arts) kicked off the presentations by speaking to the deep healing we all deserve when it comes to our relationship to money. “You don’t need to be fixed; it’s not you that’s broken it’s systems that don’t work,” stated Chester-Bey. The next speaker, Mary Jane (Cash Flow Tax and Administrative Services) offered up great resources for contract employees and small business owners. Our final speaker, Gabriel Sloblosky (GreenPath Financial Wellness), provided budgeting and accountability tips. Each speaker led from the perspective of their own entrepreneurship and professional life.
The Living Arts programs team welcomed feedback from participants at the end of the event. This feedback will help Programming Team with selecting a theme for next year's Work Of Art Training.
An Arts Retreat for Early Learning Professionals
On Saturday, February 22, Artists Kimberli Boyd and Alesha Brown designed and facilitated a relaxing staff retreat for early learning professionals working in the Brightmoor neighborhood of Detroit.
On Saturday, February 22, Artists Kimberli Boyd and Alesha Brown designed and facilitated a relaxing staff retreat for early learning professionals working in the Brightmoor neighborhood of Detroit. The retreat was hosted at the Detroit Artist Village studio space. Participants were invited to engage in mindful artistic practices that encouraged everyday rejuvenation and peace of mind.
During the retreat, local chef of Faniz, LLC, Jefani M. Edison presented on how great food can support the body and mind and. Edison provided an amazing home-cooked meal as well. Participants walked away sharing that they had an enjoyable experience and will use what they learned in there learning centers.
"Living Arts Honored by Crain's Detroit
Living Arts was awarded Best-Managed Nonprofit 2019 from Crain’s Business Detroit! This morning, our Executive Director, Alissa Novoselick, was presented with the award at the Newsmaker of the Year luncheon.
Executive Director, Alissa Novoselick, was presented with our Crain's Detroit Best-Managed Nonprofit award at the Newsmaker of the Year luncheon.
Living Arts was awarded Best-Managed Nonprofit 2019 from Crain’s Business Detroit! This morning, our Executive Director, Alissa Novoselick, was presented with the award at the Newsmaker of the Year luncheon.
Accompanied by Living Arts’ board president Matthew Nahan, director of programs Erika Villarreal Bunce, and director of development Tara Tuomaala, Novoselick graciously accepted the award and generous donations from Crain's and Non-Profit Personnel Network on behalf of all of Living Arts' board members, staff, and Teaching Artists.
Many thanks to the team at Crain’s for this great honor! Click here for more details about the Best-Managed Nonprofit 2019.
Living Arts Joins the Detroit School of Arts Pathways Initiative
Living Arts is proud to be an arts partner with the DPSCD Detroit School of Arts (DSA) Pathways Initiative! “DSA Pathways is what collaboration in the arts can and should be…”
Executive Director, Alissa Novoselick with ISA Program Manager, Brent Smith and Program Director, Erika Villarreal Bunce along with fellow DSA Pathways Partners InsideOut Literary Arts attended this morning’s initiative launch.
Living Arts is proud to be an arts partner with the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) Detroit School of Arts (DSA) Pathways Initiative! “DSA Pathways is what collaboration in the arts can and should be. We are so excited to work with our peers—and with a partner like DPSCD—to ensure that students are the beneficiaries of our arts-rich city. Utilizing organizational strengths we are able to come together for something that is larger and more intentional than any one of us could achieve alone,” stated Living Arts’ Executive Director, Alissa Novoselick. See the press release below for details on the exciting initiative that launched this morning! For more information on the DSA Pathways Initiative, visit DSA Pathways.
SAVE THE DATE! Framing the Future: An Evening for Living Arts
Join us in celebrating the launch of our next decade of youth arts education in Detroit!
FRAMING THE FUTURE:
AN EVENING FOR LIVING ARTS
THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2020 - THE MASONIC
Join us in celebrating the launch of our next decade of youth arts education in Detroit!
+ Networking over hors d’oeuvres and premium open bar
+ Art-making stations featuring animation, visual arts, and music led by Living Arts students and
Teaching Artists
+ Live performances and animation screening
+ Complimentary valet
+ Attire: Corporate to Cocktail
20th Anniversary Fund Update!
Across Metro Detroit, our Teaching Artists helped preschoolers get the skills they need to succeed in kindergarten and brought older students inspiring movement, songwriting, and animation experiences that gave them new ways to connect with their creativity and understand academic subjects like math and language arts.
Your gifts to the 20th Anniversary Fund helped make 2019 a memorable milestone year for Living Arts!
Across Metro Detroit, our Teaching Artists helped preschoolers get the skills they need to succeed in kindergarten and brought older students inspiring movement, songwriting, and animation experiences that gave them new ways to connect with their creativity and understand academic subjects like math and language arts.
Our 2019 after-school program grads have already completed their first semester of college—and other alumni launched dance careers in Montreal and New York City and are pursuing professional and artistic paths across the country!
Achievements like these attracted the attention and support of 115 generous donors and helped Living Arts raise more than $90,000 for the 20th Anniversary Fund—an accomplishment that was a momentous capstone to a remarkable year!
We are indebted to Jason REVOK Williams, whose generosity launched the Fund. We also owe a special thanks to The Peck Foundation for their wonderful investment—and to Gail Mondry, who led the Living Arts Initiative and brought together individuals from around the metro area who believe in Detroit’s youth.
What does this mean for 2020?
With your help, Living Arts is entering the new year—and a new decade!—with plans to do even more for Detroit area youth. Our board and staff leadership are exploring new ways to grow our after-school program and make room for the more than 100 youth currently on our waitlist—and we’re planning exciting partnerships that will help our Teaching Artists have an even greater impact. All of this will be guided by a new strategic plan that will launch later this spring (and you'll be among the first to hear about the details)! Thank you for your generosity and believing in the transformative power of art!
Adapting to New Curriculum: Expeditionary Learning in the Artist Residency
Living Arts has been working hard to train our teaching artist team in the suite of new curriculum offerings at Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD).
4th grade students at Schulze Academy use theater and writing to learn animal defense mechanisms in a residency led by Teaching Artists Karilú Forshee and Aja Dier. All photos by Karilú Forshee.
Living Arts has been working hard to train our teaching artist team in the suite of new curriculum offerings at Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD). This past summer in particular, our K-8 team went through training with an Expeditionary Learning Specialist, building on their long-term knowledge about arts integration and honing into the specific areas in the curriculum our work fits. In addition, our administrative team was trained by EL administrative staff. Lots of great conversation and learning happened!
Teaching Artists Karilú Forshee and Aja Dier led a residency in Ms. Swaby and Mrs. McGhee's 4th grade classrooms at Shulze Academy. The Module the teaching artists and teachers will be focusing on is ELA G4:M2, Units 1-3, Researching to Build Knowledge and Teach Others: Animal Defense Mechanisms, with the guiding questions being: 1. How do animals' bodies and behaviors help them survive? 2. How can writers use knowledge from their research to inform and entertain? The students task is a choose-your-own adventure animal defense mechanism narrative.
A reflection from Teaching Artist Aja Dier:
Karilú and I have worked together onstage and it was so exciting to team up with her in the classroom to facilitate a five week ELA/Drama Arts Integration residency at Schulze Elementary. This five week residency began with a poetry workshop to wrap up the 4th grade poetry unit in Ms. Swaby’s class. I performed some of my original poetry as well as “My Garden” by Thomas Edward Brown, where we discussed examples of metaphor and “Alphabet City” from the play Slanguage by Universes where the students learned about alliteration.
We were excited to dive into the next module: Animal Defense Mechanisms. We worked with animals discussed in the text. Before we got to the material, each class began with the “Hello Song” led by Karilú and a I would lead a physical and vocal warm-up. The students embodied the movements and sounds of monarch butterflies, springboks, ostriches, armadillos, red robins, chickadees and Florida scrub jays. We then discussed their natural predators such as rodents, cheetahs, hawks, bobcats and mice.
Karilú and I wanted the students to have a hand in creating their own theater piece. The 4th graders worked together in groups to write a first person narrative about the animals and their predators. Karilú and I then took their writings and turned them into scripts where some students were predators and some students were prey. We rehearsed each scene, and made revisions to the script. On the last week of the residency, we brought in costumes for the final performance. The students not only had a strong grasp of the material, but they fully embodied these animals. We were blown away by their commitment and excited to see that they were having so much fun!
Master Class with American Ballet Theatre
On Tuesday, January 14, dancers from the YDE and Ballet 3 classes were invited to attend a master class with members of American Ballet Theatre, one of the top ballet companies in the world! The mixed-level hour and a half class was a rare and exciting opportunity for Living Arts’ dancers to experience.
On Tuesday, January 14, dancers from the YDE and Ballet 3 classes were invited to attend a master class with members of American Ballet Theatre, one of the top ballet companies in the world! The mixed-level hour and a half class was a rare and exciting opportunity for Living Arts’ dancers to experience.
Held at the FREC, the master class was led by dancers Lauren Bonfiglio and Melvin Lawovi. “Seeing them and how they grew up has shown me that if I really work hard, I can get to where they are at their point in their lives,” said student Samantha Augilar. Ingrid Hernandez added, “My favorite part was when we got to do exercises because I saw what I wanted to be. I saw a role model, a reflection of what I could be, and ways to better myself.” Nina Contreras added, “I liked seeing a guy, because here in Detroit you hardly ever see that” referring to Lawovi.
Bonfiglio has been with ABT since 2013 and started her career with the company in a summer Young Dancer Workshop in 2007. In 2013 she became a member of the ABT Studio Company. Lawovi, a native of Toulouse, France, has been dancing since age 10 and competed in many international competitions before joining the ABT Studio Company in 2018 and apprenticing with the main Company in 2019.
Many thanks to these talented instructors, the American Ballet Theatre, and the Michigan Opera Theater for making this opportunity possible for our students.
Southwest Holiday Fest Returns
The 7th Annual Southwest Holiday Fest was held on December 14. Living Arts is proud to once again participate in the event.
Our Youth Dance Ensemble 2 (YDE2, the junior dance company) had their second performance as a group this year at Southwest Holiday Fest and did a great job!
YDE2 performs at SW Holiday Fest
The 7th Annual Southwest Holiday Fest was held on December 14. Living Arts is proud to once again participate in the event.
Our Youth Dance Ensemble 2 (YDE2, the junior dance company) had their second performance as a group this year at Southwest Holiday Fest and did a great job!
The senior YDE created a structured improvisational dance collaboratively. Youth mentor Diamond Davis hosted a two-hour ornament decorating workshop (her first public workshop), and did a great job coordinating the ordering of supplies, setup and cleanup, and facilitation.
SW Holiday Fest is planned annually by a coalition of organizations and businesses in the area including Matrix Theatre, Plaza del Sol, Mexicantown Community Development Coalition, Repair the World, Xochi's Gift Shop, SER Metro, All Saints Literacy Center, Dantos Furniture, The FREC, Living Arts, and more.
Celebrating Early Childhood Initiatives with Hope Starts Here
On November 22, 2019, Living Arts' artists and staff joined hundreds of educators, parents, funders, and other change-makers for the 3rd Annual Hope Starts Here Celebration. Hope Starts Here is a movement initiated in 2016 stewarded by the W.K.Kellogg Foundation and the Kresge Foundation to:
create a vision for what early childhood can look like in Detroit
develop a framework for that vision and
inspire folks from all over the city to get involved and help bring that vision to life.
On November 22, 2019, Living Arts' artists and staff joined hundreds of educators, parents, funders, and other change-makers for the 3rd Annual Hope Starts Here Celebration. Hope Starts Here is a movement initiated in 2016 stewarded by the W.K.Kellogg Foundation and the Kresge Foundation to:
create a vision for what early childhood can look like in Detroit
develop a framework for that vision and
inspire folks from all over the city to get involved and help bring that vision to life.
Teaching Artist Alesha Brown led an invocation “Free to Be Me” at the Hope Starts Here celebration.
Grounded in the belief that every child has the right to access high quality early childhood education from birth, our city got to work! Since then, Living Arts and many other groups, have come together to have futuristically-minded and frank conversation around the quality of early childhood education. It truly is awe-inspiring to share this space with incredible parents, teachers, early childhood directors, funders and so many others. We are proud and humbled to be an arts partner to this movement! Together with our incredible team of artists, parents, and staff, we've been able to bring focus and intention around quality in Head Start/Early Head Start classrooms, informal caregiving settings, independently owned provider settings, and community-based settings that serve families.
Master Teaching Artist Kimberli Boyd led a movement-based invocation at the Hope Starts Here celebration.
We were honored to be invited to present the invocations for this event. Our amazing artists, Alesha Brown and Kimberli Boyd, of Living Arts' Detroit Wolf Trap program can typically be found day-in, day-out, working with early childhood teachers and their children to make learning come to life through music and movement. But on this day of celebration, Alesha and Kimberli were able to share a special part of themselves, as Detroiters and masters of music and movement, in a call to action. Alesha's "Free to be me" morning invocation brought life to the meaning of "Hope Starts with Me." Kim's movement-based afternoon invocation brought the entire room of stakeholders together in a call to action, powering our collective commitment to ensuring that every child and family can access early childhood in Detroit.
We are thrilled to partake in this movement that respects children and their families and we look forward to building more into the future together.
Harnessing Personal Power through Dance
On Saturday November 16, seven of the nine Youth Dance Ensemble dancers joined their mentor/instructors Miryam Johnson and Penny Godboldo, along with Living Arts’ Director of Programs, Erika Villarreal Bunce and Dance Program Director, Marianne Cox over Lebanese food and conversation.
Living Arts’ dancers and instructors met to discuss and reflect on their Sofrito of Cultures summer intensive.
On Saturday November 16, seven of the nine Youth Dance Ensemble dancers joined their mentor/instructors Miryam Johnson and Penny Godboldo, along with Living Arts’ Director of Programs, Erika Villarreal Bunce and Dance Program Director, Marianne Cox over Lebanese food and conversation. Also in attendance was Jennifer Collins the mother of Bailee Williams, one of the dancers. The gathering was the first time the group had met since their August 8th performance at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.
The inter-generational conversation, led by Villarreal Bunce, was an opportunity for the young women to really debrief and dig into what they learned and how they felt during the intensive.
On learning Dunham technique alongside her own students, Miryam Johnson said she was “…in the moment, in the music, in my body connected to the people around me” as opposed to being in her head, focusing on self-criticism. She added, “It was important for me to be a student next to you; for you to see me not getting it also.” Master choreographer and intensive lead, Penny Godboldo said “Dance is a language...it’s called a company because it’s community working together.”
Over the course of the three weeks, the dancers, instructors, and drummers met for five hours a day, five days a week. Initially desiring a 10-week session, Godboldo had to readjust expectations from her students. “I knew what young people in this community were capable of, but I wasn’t sure if [you] were up for it. I was so pleased with the way [you] young women stepped up and did the work!”
Reflecting on the journal entries they wrote during the intensive, the young dancers recalled the feelings brought on by dancing. Learning the history and cultural relevance of the drum and movement in Afro-Latin dance was critical to understanding their own role in the dance. “I felt that the intensive really made me feel like a leader. It really tested my boundaries,” shared Bailee Williams, 13. Many of the dancers agreed that their boundaries, both physical and mental, were tested during their training. Learning how to breathe proved to be one of the most valuable tools, centering themselves before rehearsals began and carrying them throughout the hours of movement. “Wwhen I came here to dance I was happy and more confident.” Brianna Hernandez, 12. Mariajose Galarza, 13 added, “After the intensive I really felt like I could do anything! It was really long and hard but really good.”
Though still a while off from their careers, many of the dancers are considering entering into professional dance. A chance to represent both Detroit and the Southwest community where they live, the dancers want to show the world that Detroit is still in the game. “No one expects big dancers to come out of Detroit because it’s just a small city. No one expects someone like Miss Penny or Dunham to come out of Detroit. Everybody just thinks that it was famous during the Motor City era and has been left behind like it was nothing. But there really is something special in this community...dance just connects us,” said 14-year-old Nina Contreras.
Ms. Collins exclaimed, “You all are powerful! Knowing what you all accomplished this summer you all can do anything!” A sentiment echoed by all the mentors in the room.
We’re Crain’s Best-Managed Nonprofit!
Living Arts is proud to announce this #GivingTuesday that we are Crain’s 2019 Best-Managed Nonprofit! Our team works year-round to ensure that Detroit’s youth receive high-quality arts education.
Living Arts is proud to announce this #GivingTuesday that we are Crain’s 2019 Best-Managed Nonprofit! Our team works year-round to ensure that Detroit’s youth receive high-quality arts education. Crain's award recognizes our excellence in:
Paying Teaching Artists and staff in alignment with the Michigan Nonprofit Association compensation study
Transparency around organizational finances
Recognizing the needs of our staff with flexible work schedules, generous paid time off, and policies that support work-life balance
Tapping into the talents of young teens and parents as leaders in our organization
Hiring diverse staff members and Teaching Artists who better reflect the communities in which we work
Starting #GivingTuesday, we want YOU to help us raise $10,000 to open a world of imagination for Detroit youth. When 1,000 people donate just $10 each, we WILL reach our goal by December 31st!
You can be sure your gift to Living Arts will connect thousands of youth in the new year to high-quality arts education!
5 Minute Mindfulness - Reflection
As a Teaching Artist in multiple programs within Living Arts, I never know which adventure I’ll be faced with next. It’s exhilarating! Who will be sitting in front of me for today’s class? What tricks will I pull out of my sleeve in the heat of the moment? What objective will organically present itself as an intruder to my lesson plan? And what unexpected inexplicable joy will be evoked by the authentic experience of showing up as my true self to a room full of strangers that I get to serve through my gift?
Photo by: Alesha Nicole
As a Teaching Artist in multiple programs within Living Arts, I never know which adventure I’ll be faced with next. It’s exhilarating! Who will be sitting in front of me for today’s class? What tricks will I pull out of my sleeve in the heat of the moment? What objective will organically present itself as an intruder to my lesson plan? And what unexpected inexplicable joy will be evoked by the authentic experience of showing up as my true self to a room full of strangers that I get to serve through my gift?
On Saturday, November 16, 2019 my office for the day was a meditation room full of women who care for children. It was a self-care retreat, in which I taught a workshop of mindfulness. As caregivers of young learners, we tend to neglect our self-care, forgetting to take time to check-in with ourselves emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. We can accidentally pour from an empty cup and end up with inner battles of resentment, frustration, or overexertion. The guided meditation I led was a bit different than what you would experience in a typical meditation room. It took into consideration the environment in which these caregivers regularly would be using these techniques. It is usually in a home, surrounded by children playing, singing, yelling, exploring, or giggling around them, giving them very little time to truly turn inwards and not exactly having the ideal atmosphere for peace and quiet.
So, I taught some “5 Minute Mindfulness” exercises that would give them opportunities to check-in during moments of upheaval or burnout. The exercises included techniques that uplift the spirit, redirect the mind, hold space for the heart, and tune in to the body. As we went through each activity, we shared commentary on what types of stressful situations may call for the exercise and why they are useful in that situation. While they went through these neat ways of calling their attention to mindfulness and self-awareness, they may or may not have realized that the workshop as a whole was an example of mindfulness in itself. These wonderful women were able to connect on a deeper level about the work that they do and feel recognized, cared for, valued, and considered in the development of a workshop built just for them. It was a treat, we shared from our hearts, and left with tools to use at a moment’s notice. A special gift was given with sentimental value we intentionally placed on it together, so that they may be reminded of self-care anytime they look into their purse and see it. All we need is five minutes of mindfulness to bring us back to self.
The Role YOU Play in Our Work
This is the time of year when you likely find your inbox and mailbox are fuller than usual with requests for support from worthy organizations like Living Arts.
There’s good reason for it. While big grants from foundations and corporations get a lot of attention in the press, modest donations from regular folks still account for three-quarters of the funds donated across the country. On average, American households donate about $2,500 each year—totalling more than $4 billion—to improve their communities and support people in need.
Photo by: J. Lindsey Photography
This is the time of year when you likely find your inbox and mailbox are fuller than usual with requests for support from worthy organizations like Living Arts.
There’s good reason for it. While big grants from foundations and corporations get a lot of attention in the press, modest donations from regular folks still account for three-quarters of the funds donated across the country. On average, American households donate about $2,500 each year—totalling more than $4 billion—to improve their communities and support people in need.
Living Arts has been successful on both of these fronts. Major foundation and corporate grants and thousands of gifts from individual donors have played a big role in helping us bring transformative arts experiences to 50,000 youth over the past 20 years.
Every gift makes a difference. You’ve probably heard it many times—because it’s true!
While most of us would love to win the lottery and make a newsworthy contribution to our favorite charity, there are many other ways you can support an organization like Living Arts in addition to a year-end or monthly contribution:
Social media is the most cost-effective way for Living Arts to spread the word about our work and the impact we are having for Detroit youth. It costs nothing to “Like,” comment on and share our posts, but it’s a big help in getting our message out!
Let us know if your employer will match your contribution—it’s the easiest way to double (or sometimes even triple!) your gift.
Consider making a contribution in honor of a friend who is passionate about a cause in lieu of a holiday or birthday gift—and encourage your friends and family to do the same.
Play matchmaker and introduce Living Arts to others who might have a heartfelt connection to our mission.
Explore how you can volunteer. At Living Arts, we have dozens of community members who serve on our board and committees to share their insights, feedback, and professional expertise. We couldn’t do it without them!
At Living Arts, we’re grateful for every gift—and all the ways our community members support our work by sharing their time and their personal and professional networks to advance our mission.
Thanks for supporting our work to bring inspiration and learning through the arts to more Detroit youth!