The Arts

Cassandra’s father was dead, a victim of homicide. The anger she felt from being in foster care and missing him welled inside her. Whenever staff at the Boys & Girls Club didn’t give this 9-year-old her way, that anger came out. She would lose control and shout rude and disrespectful words.

That was seven months ago, when Cassandra’s social worker from the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare referred her to the Clubs. Today, things are different. Cassandra now expresses her emotions with pictures, drawings and poems. Best of all, she no longer lashes out at others. With the patience and caring of Club staff, and the wealth of positive art activities offered at the Clubs, Cassandra found a healthy way to channel her feelings and develop her natural gifts.

Art Is More than Crayons, Paints and Colored Pencils

At the Boys & Girls Clubs, it is also music instruction, theater workshops, creative writing lessons and craft programs as well as traditional art classes to our members.

We also realize that art exists outside of the art room. For this reason, members frequently go on field trips to museums, plays and musical performances. Ultimately, we want our members to be able to create and appreciate the varied arts, as well as understand the individual power that comes from using art to impact and change their surroundings.

And thanks to art instructors provided by a grant through AmeriCorps, the Clubs have been able to increase our amount art education programs as well as increase member participation in them. These instructors serve their community while earning a stipend and an education award.

A Sample of Unique Art & Cultural Offerings

Jazz Elements, offered in partnership with the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra (MYSO), teaches members ages 9 to 12 how to play drums, piano or bass. Local jazz instructors visit the Clubs and instruct members, who must then practice 30 minutes every day.

ImageMakers National Photography Contest allows budding shutter-bugs to learn and practice various photography techniques. Members are given training and the opportunity to enter their pictures in local, regional and national competitions.

National Fine Arts Exhibit is a local, regional and national competition for Boys & Girls Clubs members. Youth submit their best art pieces in a variety of categories (monochromatic drawing, multicolored drawing, pastels, water color, oil or acrylic, print making, mixed media, collage and sculpture) and have it displayed at art exhibitions.