Art Start uses the creative process to nurture the voices, hearts, and minds of youth from historically marginalized communities. Through workshops, residencies, and industry collaborations, art becomes a catalyst for personal and professional growth, as well as a platform for meaningful dialogue about the future of our communities.
Working at the intersection of the creative industries, education, and youth development, Art Start partners with public schools, post-secondary arts programs, youth organizations, alternative sentencing programs, and residences for those experiencing homelessness. For more than 30 years, Art Start has engaged thousands of young people with the support of dedicated artist educators and volunteers, earning national recognition for its impactful model.
Over the past decade, the featured commercial photographers Zachary Maxwell Stertz, Heidi Gutman, Nick Collura, and Mary Ellen Matthews have contributed to the Art Start Portrait Project, collaborating with hundreds of young people.
Art Start’s mission is to use the creative process to nurture the voices, hearts, and minds of historically under-resourced youth, offering a space for them to imagine, believe, and represent their creative vision for their lives and communities.
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