St Louis ArtWorks

St. Louis ArtWorks is a unique job training program in the arts for youth ages 14 - 19 years old. Apprentices work with professional teaching artists to learn a specific art discipline along with critical life skills and employment training. Youth apply for paid apprenticeships and are paired with professional teaching artists to work in teams for projects through grants and contracts for local, state and federal governments and commissioned works of art for corporate, foundation, and individual clients as well as art for sale, public performance, and display. Artworks offers a wide variety of artistic disciplines including mural design, sculpture, textiles, painting, digital art and technology, photography, graphic arts, videography, and more. Apprentices receive training in workforce development, career preparation, arts education, and life skills training, all while creating art and earning a stipend. Job Training activities include client meetings, open house events and public sales. In Life Skills training, youth learn effective communication skills, environmental stewardship, and fiscal literacy, as well as the importance of nutrition, good health, and personal safety. An art therapist provides group sessions to improve their overall sense of well-being and their feeling of connection to their community and individual sessions, as needed. The art therapist also provided career counseling assessments and sessions for apprentices to assist them in developing career goals. In the six-week summer program, youth work five hours a day, five days a week. Programs offered in the fall and spring are for 13 weeks after school and on Saturdays. . ArtWorks Enterprises (AWE) is our social venture that includes three enterprises - Boomerang Press, BoomerRacks, and BloomWorks. AWE provides revenue to help sustain the organization and to help young people develop life-changing employment skills. Boomerang Press/Media teaches cross disciplinary skills in video, design, layout, and illustration through graphics and media services to clients. BoomerRacks creates bike racks and related works of art using up-cycled bike parts. BloomWorks focuses on sustainable development projects for the garden and public park and urban streetscapes by producing rain barrels, planters, landscape plans, and art from up-cycled materials. . ArtWorks audience is underserved youth (ages 14-19) from the St. Louis region who are at great risk for unemployment, low academic achievement, dropping out of school, and/or not pursuing post-secondary opportunities. In 2024, of 123 participants, 52.9% of the apprentices resided in the City and 24.8% resided in the County Promise Zone. Youth came from 41 different zip codes; 73.86% identified as Black, 13.73% as Caucasian, 4.58% Hispanic or Latino, and 3.9% as two or more races. . ArtWorks is dedicated to helping bridge the learning gap of underserved youth through our unique job training and life skills education program. Our program uses the framework of 21st century skills (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity) to help underserved youth access opportunities in education and careers that might otherwise be missed. . Program Accomplishments: In January 2024, we installed a commissioned mural in the offices of College Bound. In February we hosted a movie night, high- lighting Freedom Summer, the subject of focus for our entire year. For the first time, St. Louis ArtWorks created a float and participated in the 114th Annie Malone parade. During the summer of 2024, apprentices from our Videography Discipline created a documentary to commemorate the 30th anniversary of St. Louis ArtWorks. In the fall of 2024, Sabrina Silvers, Assistant Director, was recognized with a Hospitality Heroes award from Focus St. Louis.