Donate $20 for Artistic Noise's 20th year of empowering youth through art and community!
We are kicking off our anniversary year with the 20for20 campaign in support of our critical and essential work. At this crucial moment in our country's history, we are reminded once again of our origin story and why we came to exist in 2001, and why our work is just as important to this day. Community and grassroots support is the lifeblood of this organization; and a donation of just $20 will truly make a lasting impact on our work.
While there has been progress over the past 20 years, we have sadly been reminded once again why our work continues to be so important. Many of the challenges our youth experienced in 2001 persists to this day. Through this national moment of reckoning, racial disparities and inequalities have been laid bare before our eyes.
Along with our youth participants, board of directors, and dedicated staff, we have thought long and hard about the challenges we must face to Meet the Moment---from transitioning our programs to a virtual space, to finding new ways to maintain community in our now-distant world. We have reevaluated our work on Rikers Island and with government institutions, who often uphold the ideals of a carceral state. Artistic Noise is moving towards a more progressive model, pushing the movement forward and enhancing our work in the community by offering programming to youth underserved due to the constraints of our global pandemic.
As we look back at our 20 years, in fact, Artistic Noise has always been an organization meeting the moment!
We met the moment when, Francine Sherman, and a teaching artist, Lauren Adelman, created a photography workshop at a girl’s detention facility in Boston in 2001. Francine and Lauren immediately realized the impact of this arts group, as it gave each young woman a safe place to share their story and process the trauma of incarceration.
We met the moment when, upon the completion of our first workshop, one incarcerated young woman, Minotte Romulus, upon her release joined together with Francine and Lauren and co-founded Artistic Noise in 2001.
We met the moment when, we expanded to NYC becoming an independent nonprofit in 2007 and strengthened our model from only studio art workshops to include art therapy and an entrepreneurship program for youth who’ve returned to the community, providing continuity and care in the lives of our youth.
We met the moment when, after years of working in donated spaces, finally, finding our home in Harlem in 2014. This is where we have continued to build our vision for the future and this is where we have been able to build community, not only for our justice involved you, but also for the greater Harlem community.
We Met the moment when, In 2020, we quickly pivoted to virtual programming, providing the resources to our students like art-making packets, food, and technology to rise to the moment and succeed to the best of their ability.
As we reflect on our past and look towards the future, we know that it’s not always easy, but we will continue to step up and serve our community by meeting the needs of our youth.
Help us to continue meeting the moment by donating today!