youthLEADarts
Listen Empathize Act Drive
The 2021 ARTCi Partnership Program with youthLEADarts places students of Britannia Community School, aged 11 – 13, who are at risk of not reaching their potential, in an intense, two-week, on-linearts program and allows them to experience and discover their strengths, address their challenges and develop communication and leadership skills in a short, invigorating and fruitful timeframe. Applying the words behind the acronym LEAD (Listen, Empathize, Act and Drive), it prepares students for the journey from elementary to secondary school and beyond as it provides an experience that impacts and empowers them for a lifetime.
youthLEADarts fosters creative and cultural growth in the students, allowing them to shed pre-existing labels and step outside of difficult life circumstances to see their world with hope and opportunities. Students are immersed in activities involving drama, dance, literature/spoken-word, music, drumming, visual arts, photography/videography, Indigenous and media arts.
This year’s theme focuses on traditional ecological knowledge. It asks students to consider how they can be stewards for the planet. What are their roles and responsibilities to Mother Earth? Students will notice and reflect on the theme, then embody and interpret their experience through different art forms each day on-line for two weeks, working alongside up to 3 artists daily creating their own original art while applying the leadership values that drive the project. Furthermore, these students will produce community art work to be displayed locally and shared internationally in an open studio for an audience of family, friends, and community so they too can witness their process and pride of performance.
Marilyn Field MSM is a consulting partner for LEAD. In 1994, teacher Marilyn Field founded DAREarts, a Canadian charity, to empower underserved children to unlock their potential using the arts. Under her leadership to 2019, DAREarts inspired over 200,000 children in underserved communities across Canada. From 2010 to 2019, DAREarts Vancouver empowered 1,030 children in the East Side. Retired from DAREarts, Field now advises nationally and internationally on arts empowering youth: www.2020world.ca
Field’s methods give voice to Indigenous and underserved youth as they creatively explore identity and address issues important to them. Her methods prove that, when children have confidence and courage, they see with 2020 perspective and lead change. Results include increased school attendance, decreased substance abuse and youth with hope. “Our youth learned how to turn to traditional and other positive support systems to take care of themselves,” wrote Webequie FN teacher Bill Jacob. “I got hope wakin’ up every day,” wrote Leroy, 16.
ARTCi is actively seeking community partners and funders for youthLEADarts. To find out more about making a donation, e-mail the ARTCi team at artistsrtcinc@gmail.com