INSIDEOUT LITERARY ARTS PROJECT

NARRATIVE FOR 990 (FY2024) 2023/24 WAS A PARTICULARLY EXCITING YEAR FOR INSIDEOUT AS WE REFINED OUR STAFFING STRUCTURE; GREW COMMUNITY PROGRAMS; AND ADVANCED OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH TO DEVELOP LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL. WE INCREASED ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY, EXPANDED OUR NATIONAL PROFILE, AND BOLSTERED THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF STAFF AND TEACHING ARTISTS. IN TOTAL, WE SERVED 3,016 STUDENTS IN 27 SCHOOLS, PUBLISHED 26 INDIVIDUAL ANTHOLOGIES OF STUDENT WRITING; ENGAGED 292 TEENS WITH AFTER-SCHOOL WORKSHOPS AT 15 SITES; AND PARTNERED WITH 48 ORGANIZATIONS TO PRESENT WORKSHOPS, PERFORMANCES, AND PUBLIC ART TO UPWARDS OF 1,942 PEOPLE ACROSS METRO-DETROIT. WE ARE PARTICULARLY PROUD OF THE SUCCESS OF OUR 2ND ANNUAL DETROIT YOUTH POETRY CONAN ALL-DAY, TEEN-FOCUSED CONFERENCE ON THE CAMPUS OF WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY. IT CONNECTED YOUTH WITH MICHIGAN POET LAUREATE (AND INSIDEOUT PROGRAM GRADUATE) NANDI COMER AND NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD RECIPIENT ROSS GAY FOR WRITING WORKSHOPS, CAREER-DISCOVERY, COMMUNITY BUILDING, AND MORE. DEMONSTRATING THE UNDENIABLE NEED AND DESIRE TEENS HAVE TO CONNECT IN REAL-WORLD SPACES, THIS EVENT BROUGHT 86 STUDENTS TOGETHER (33% INCREASE IN ATTENDANCE OVER LAST YEAR) FOR MASTERCLASSES WITH THE VISITING POETS AS WELL AS A BEVY OF WORKSHOPS, PERFORMANCES AND CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CRAFT. THIS YOUTH-CENTERED INITIATIVE FEATURED 11 WRITING AND CAREER FOCUSED WORKSHOPS; DISTRIBUTION OF 150 BOOKS; PERFORMANCES BY 50 YOUTH, NANDI COMER AND ROSS GAY; AS WELL AS BREAK-OUT SESSIONS, DECOMPRESSION ROOMS, MEALS, AND PRIZES. IT INCLUDED SIGNIFICANT PARTNERSHIPS WITH WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITYS ENGLISH DEPARTMENT AND FORMER INSIDEOUT STUDENT/CURRENT WAYNE STATE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR ROBERT LAIDLER AS WELL AS THE DETROIT CREATIVITY PROJECT, RACQUET UP, AND THRIVING TOGETHER. THE GROWTH IN INSIDEOUTS COMMUNITY PROGRAMMING IS A SOURCE OF INSTITUTIONAL PRIDE AND AN AREA WE INTEND TO CONTINUE DEVELOPING WITH INTENTIONALITY OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. IN 2023/24 WE WERE PLEASED TO SEE THROUGH THRIVING TOGETHER, A FOUR-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY IN WHICH 10 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTSA CORE GROUP WHO PARTICIPATED FOR 2+ YEARSENGAGED IN ENVIRONMENTALLY FOCUSED, HANDS-ON WRITING PROJECTS. THEY LEARNED TO EXPRESS COMPLEX IDEAS AND FACILITATE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WHILE STRENGTHENING THEIR OWN UNDERSTANDING OF CREATIVE WRITING, POETRY, AND SPOKEN WORD PERFORMANCE AS TOOLS FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. IN THIS FINAL YEAR, THE COLLABORATION OF 15 ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS EMPOWERED STUDENTS TO LEAD PRESENTATIONS AND ORGANIZE PERFORMANCES AT THE BIONEERS CONFERENCE, THE MICHIGAN INTERFAITH POWER & LIGHT SOLAR CELEBRATION, AND DETROIT YOUTH POETRY CON. WE WERE ALSO PROUD TO ENHANCE OUR WORK WITH THE HANNAN CENTER AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN DEARBORNS ARTS AND AGENCY PROGRAM TO CONNECT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, COLLEGE STUDENTS, AND SENIOR CITIZENS FOR WHOS YOUR NEIGHBOR, A DAY-LONG PROGRAM DESIGNED TO EXPLORE COMMONALITIES, DEFINE COMMUNITY, AND INSPIRE CREATIVE WRITING AND PERFORMANCE ACROSS GENERATIONS. IN APRIL, INSIDEOUT CELEBRATED POETRY MONTH WITH A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS. WE EXPANDED AN ONGOING PARTNERSHIP WITH SHAKESPEARE IN DETROIT TO INCLUDE IN-SCHOOL AND AFTERSCHOOL SONNET WORKSHOPS; INCREASED OUTREACH TO STUDENTS IN DETROIT AND DEARBORN WITH THE RETURN OF POETRY BILLBOARDS; CELEBRATED ARAB AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH WITH THE DETROIT INSTITUTE OF THE ARTSEXPANDING REPRESENTATION FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES FROM SALINA AND FORDSON; AND INCREASED LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE INSIDEOUT YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD. THESE STUDENT LEADERS PLANNED AND HOSTED A POETRY PICNIC IN VALADE PARK, INVITING FRIENDS & FAMILY AND ENGAGING PASSERS-BY WITH READING AND WRITING EXERCISES TO CLOSE OUT POETRY MONTH WITH ONE OF OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL AND WELL-ATTENDED YOUTH-LED PUBLIC EVENTS. YOUTH KNOW WHAT THEY WANT, AND INSIDEOUT IS PROVIDING THEM WITH THE TOOLS TO PUT THEIR IDEAS INTO ACTION. ENGAGING STUDENT LEADERS ON THIS LEVEL, AND PROVIDING THEM WITH THE FAIR PAY AND AGENCY THEY NEED TO DEVELOP AND MARKET OUTREACH EVENTS IS A PRIME EXAMPLE OF INSIDEOUTS COMMITMENT TO EQUITY, REPRESENTATION, AND THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF ARTISTS. THIS APPROACH PROVED MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN ANTICIPATED AND RESULTED IN INCREASED PUBLIC ACTIVITY WITHOUT ADDING WORK TO STAFF, WHILE ALSO CREATING EMPOWERING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH TO FEEL HEARD, VALUED, AND SUPPORTED. AS A RESULT OF THEIR SUCCESS, STUDENT LEADERS WERE TASKED WITH ORGANIZING A PRIDE EVENT IN JUNE. THEIR PRIDE & ALLIES OPEN-MIC AT NEXT CHAPTER BOOKS WAS STANDING ROOM ONLY WITH 17 YOUTH PERFORMERS AND ~50 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE. WHEN ASKED ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE COORDINATING THESE ACTIVITIES, ONE STUDENT REFLECTED, IT WAS MY FIRST TIME REALLY ASKING FRIENDS AND CLASSMATES TO SHOW UP FOR SOMETHING, AND I DIDNT KNOW IF ANYONE WOULD, AND SO MANY PEOPLE DID. IT WAS GREAT OUR IN-SCHOOL WORK AND AFTERSCHOOL CITYWIDE POETS PROGRAMS WERE JUST AS SUCCESSFUL, CREATING JOBS FOR 36 TEACHING ARTISTS AND IMPROVING THE ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING OF 3,016 STUDENTS IN 27 SCHOOLS AND AT 15 COMMUNITY SITES.