Art For All

Social Practice- Art Action

On-going, 2024

Art For All is a social practice artwork within the community of Akron, Ohio in collaboration with Project Rise and support from The Ohio Arts Council. Project Rise is a local nonprofit organization that partners with Akron Public Schools, local housing shelters, and the community to serve children and families experiencing homelessness and housing inequities. Currently, the city of Akron serves around 2,000 children identified as unhoused or facing housing insecurity. Art For All is an intervention-based social practice artwork that supplies children served by Project Rise with a free art making kit. Within the kit is a collection of art materials, musical instruments, writing supplies, as well as dance and movement materials in easily transportable tote bags stating ART FOR ALL. In addition to the AFA kits, Art For All provides accessibility to art and art-making experiences for children facing housing insecurity. Through Art For All, children explore concepts, expressions, and potentials of art-making. Art For All considers realities of social, economic, and educational inequality and examines art as a form of activism and representation.

Art For All kits

Tote bags containing a collection of art materials, musical instruments, writing supplies, dance and movement materials, and personalized note from the artist

Note written by artist included within the Art For All art-making kits

Note Transcript:

"Hi! My name is Jamie. I'm an artist and I made this bag of art materials for you. Anyone can be an artist! Art can be made by anyone, anywhere, with anything at all. You can make art with paint, clay, string, your body, your words, sounds, or things you find. You can even make art with just your thoughts. It's true! An idea can be an artwork all by itself. There are no rules in making art. Art can be anything you want it to be. Art is for everyone. Art is for all.

-Jamie"