Left: Art created by a student at the Youth Detention Center. Below: Vashti Moss, program administrator Right top: Teaching artists work with youth at risk. Bottom: A video art lesson during quarantine at YDC.
to the Museum, but funding limits the size of the program and number of partners. The Youth Detention Center houses incarcerated youth ages 14 to 17. New Day is a homeless teen residential center. Unlike Museum School classes which focus on skills, Art Matters programs concen-
Art Matters
trate on using art as a communication and therapeutic tool. While students do learn about color and composition and materials, “We have built a
THE MUSEUM SCHOOL ART
Museum School art education.
that would expand current
social justice, trauma-informed
CLASSROOM is a cozy space,
Art Matters is an outreach pro-
programs exposing youth to
program that engages the
perfect for small classes and
gram that takes place outside
art. “Instead of offering more
youth and administration at
personal attention. Students
the museum setting. Currently
classes,” says Elizabeth Becker,
each site,” says Program Ad-
at the Museum School benefit
it serves youth at two facilities,
curator of education, “we de-
ministrator Vashti Moss. “Our
from the excellent teaching
A New Day Youth and Family
cided to consider an audience
teaching artists are a stellar
staff and proximity to the gal-
Services and the Youth Deten-
that doesn’t typically come to
group of compassionate, cre-
leries themselves.
tion Center.
the Museum. Our focus would
ative, engaged educators and
Even before Covid-19
The program is funded in
be out in the community.”
creators. Our work grows and
closed the doors, however,
part by the Mayor’s Youth
They’d like to work with more
changes as the needs of our
young people who could not
Initiative, launched in 2018.
organizations, especially now
partners grow and change.”
visit were benefitting from a
The initiative sought proposals
when there is limited access
Art Matters specifically hired teaching artists who have worked in various community
COURTESY VASHTI MOSS
“We have built a social justice, trauma-informed program that engages the youth and administration at each site.” – VASHTI MOSS
settings and are attracted to working with youth at risk. Before the shutdown, they’d started implementing Museum tours for A New Day and Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico. “We had feedback from every visit that the youth love the tours and were
8
SUMMER 2020
Art. History. People.
