Art Program Enriches Overtown Community And Contributes To Its Vitality Of The Cultural Landscape
MIAMI – Overtown community students had the opportunity to participate in their second installment of their Youth Art Insiders workshop hosted by The Urban Collective (TUC) on Friday, December 4 at the Black Archives Historical Lyric Theatre and Cultural Arts Complex.
Earlier this year, TUC hosted three youth art workshops during National Youth Art month in March. TUC Committed To providing young people with a creative gateway into the arts.
The Urban Collective celebrates the love of art with a passion for community involvement in the arts. The urban lifestyle boutique and design studio specializes in highlighting the rich aesthetics of African art as well as other unique handmade treasures from around the globe.
Sponsors for the workshop included All Things Taj, District 5 City of Miami Commissioner Keon Hardemon and the Southeast Overtown Park West Community Redevelopment Agency.
The Beta Beta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. shared words of encouragement and also sponsored snacks for the students. Community partners included The Aifos Agency and The 100 Black Men of South Florida who answered the call of providing art supplies for the program.
“We are excited to help fulfill the narrative of TUC’s Youth Art Insiders program with our investment into their program,” said Asa Sealy, Chief Executive Officer,Aifos Agency. “Its important that programs like these exist to nurture creativity and self-expression through the arts for our youth.”
“The 100 Black Men of South Florida share a wonderful history of supporting our local youth programs,” said Stephen Johnson, 100 Black Men of South Florida’s President. “We are committed to investing in hands-on art programs like the Youth Insiders Art workshop which contribute to the development of young people, their families and communities.”
“We feel that our partnership with The Urban Collective helps us fulfill our mission in improving the education of youth living in the inner city,” says Lewis Leveille,President of Beta Beta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.
Neil Hall, AIA, licensed architect and creator behind TUC was alarmed by the lack of diversity of artists and galleries featured in the country’s largest and most prestigious art fair “Art Basel Miami.” In 2010, he produced the first annual “Art Africa Miami Arts Fair,” the first large scale art fair solely featuring artists from the African diaspora in an 8,000 square foot tent located in Miami’s historic Overtown neighborhood.
“The Arts are very important in fostering community involvement and creativity. In an era of reduced funding for arts in schools, we believe that art education is essential for unity and innovation in the hearts of our youth. The Urban Collective believes that education and participation in the arts, contributes to the healthy development of young people, their family and the community,” says Hall.
“I believe that art has the ability to influence and enlighten our youth,” says Commissioner Keon Hardemon.
Through the Youth Insider Art Workshop, The Urban Collective seeks to challenge the negative perceptions of the Overtown neighborhood by inspiring the community’s youth to create, innovate and educate. TUC is dedicated to inspiring the youth of Overtown to serve as agents of change within the arts and cultural arena.
TUC Youth Art Insiders Workshop Facilitators included
*Art & Design-Architects-Zamarr Brown and Joelle Flowers-RA Leed AP –http://design2form.com/
*Street Art-Artist Chy Walton-https://www.facebook.com/chytea.shoulin
*Contemporary Art-Artist Carl Craig-http://www.fineartsbycarl.com/
*Mural Art/Painting-Chivas Davis Enterprise-Chivas Davis-http://www.chivasdavis.com/
