Creating opportunity through art
Inspiring minds and transforming spaces: ProjectArt creates educational and cultural magic in public libraries nationwide.
Mission
To change the way the world sees arts education.
projectart empowers youth, artists and communities by providing visual arts classes and artist residencies in public libraries.
4 million U.S. children have no sustained access to art classes at school. Low-income students highly engaged in the arts are 3X as likely to graduate college as their peers with no arts education. The arts are recognized as a core academic subject under the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act yet as of 2020, only 19 states include arts as a key area of their state accountability system.
FEATURED STUDENT
Paula Persiani
Lea Kuentzel
Leah takes ProjectArt classes at the North Central Library Branch in Miami, with ProjectArt Resident Teaching Artist, Silvana Soriano. In March, students participated in a creative project that introduced them to printmaking through exploring the unique realm of self expression in printmaking portraiture.
A Note from Silvana: “Students love printmaking – the surprising results are a big draw. Expressionism, centered on emotions, excited them, as I expected! Most enjoyed the process and were open to trying it multiple times. Leah talked a little about her and other’s works, surprising me with her enthusiasm – even took the risk of producing more images.” – Silvana Soriano, ProjectArt Resident Teaching Artist.
FEATURED TEACHER
Leonard Yang
Our Queens Resident Artist, Leonard Yang, works primarily in painting consisting of man-made structures and dwellings amidst detailed landscapes with trees, rocks, sky, sea, flowers, critters, and other natural elements. His spontaneous process begins with abstract color and gesture painting that is merged with imagery from his subconscious thoughts and dreams. These paintings serve as visual narratives, hinting at his home region of Southeast Asia and its myths, cultural icons, landmarks, and landscapes, while capturing feelings of bewilderment, confusion, and anxiety that reflect global crises such as climate disasters, xenophobia, conflicts, and the rise of autocracies.
Leonard Yang had a recent solo show “Asian Bleeding Heart” At the Chinese American Arts Council Gallery in New York.
Featured Library
Newark Library
In partnership with Newark Public Libraries, we are thrilled to be in the Main Branch at this historic library for the first time this year. We will be offering classes during after-school hours for children ages 4-7, 8-12, and 13-18.
Funders
As a nonprofit organization, projectart relies on the generosity and support of individual donors, foundations and corporations. Our funders include the following institutions.
