The mission of Creative Communities is to expand access to serious, progressive instruction in the performing, literary and visual arts for children and youth living in public housing communities in order to improve their quality of life and promote skills leading to greater self-sufficiency. Through a competitive application process, 20 community schools of the arts and their housing partners were awarded three-year grants of $135,000 to implement Creative Communities projects in their respective cities.

Integral to the success of the Creative Communities mission is the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts’ role in providing training and technical assistance to each of the 20 sites. The National Guild is also responsible for the initiative’s strategic planning; evaluation; sharing of best practices and marketing strategies.

Creative Communities is more than a "project." It is an arts education, youth development and community building strategy that partners community schools of the arts with their local housing authorities to provide youth in public housing communities with high quality, sequential arts instruction during non-school hours and on weekends. The National Guild, through a cooperative agreement with the National Endowment for the Arts and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, is responsible for the overall implementation of the Initiative in 20 separate states. Creative Communities represents a $4.65 million investment in and commitment to community arts education.

The Partnership Sites are Required to:

  • Provide free instruction by professionally qualified artist-teachers to interested children and youth.
  • Match their grant by at least 25%.
  • Develop strategic partnerships with local Housing Authorities, Resident’s Councils, State Arts Agencies and local arts, cultural and social service organizations.
  • Provide professional development for staff and participating artists.

 

What are the Anticipated Outcomes?

  • Children and youth will increase and strengthen their arts skills.
  • Safe havens for children and youth in public housing will be created.
  • The quality of life for residents in public housing will be improved.
  • Sustainable partnerships will be developed between community organizations and public housing.
  • Partnerships will be established and/or strengthened between local and state arts organizations and public housing authorities.
  • A trained and experienced cadre of artist-teachers will be developed.
  • Best practices will be identified.

 

What’s the Impact?
  • Over 5,400 children and youth will take part in sequential arts instruction, and nearly 40 housing communities will be involved in community arts partnerships.
 

 

 


Students get in step with Ronald Brown and his Evidence dance company in the Sojourner Truth Community Center at Lafitte Housing Development in New Orleans.