In 1996, the Bayview International Center for Education and the Arts initiated a weekly visual arts class. Our multidisciplinary after school and summer Artsbridge program evolved from this modest beginning. Artsbridge provides cultural enrichment with active educational components for youth ages 7-18 residing in Madison’s Triangle neighborhood. The Triangle includes 102 families with school-age children; 98% are children of color. The Triangle is also home to more than 400 adults with disabilities. Families and disabled adults live in five section 8 (low-income) apartment complexes adjacent to the Bayview Community Center where Artsbridge is based.

In addition to cultural enrichment, a unique service learning partnership brings young people and their disabled neighbors together through the arts. Our current joint project is A.MAZE.ING.SPACE. This neighborhood beautification project is comprised of permanent mosaic art installations created by residents, colorful sidewalks and a wheelchair path. A competitive grant process generated ideas and design elements from the entire community; A.MAZE.ING.SPACE received city funds needed for construction.

Bayview Community Center provides Artsbridge programs 12 hours a week during summer and 8 hours a week after school. Fieldtrips to plays, concerts to museums augment ongoing program offerings through community arts partnership. All activities are free of charge for participants who would not otherwise have access to such opportunities.

Artsbridge engages young people in creative arts because the arts are a natural human expression of ideas and feelings. The arts are a universal language and many of the children we serve are English language learners.

Artsbridge after school program offers painting, drawing, crafts, sculpture, photography, printmaking and creative writing taught by program founder and coordinator Nancy Giffey. Professional dancers, actors and musicians provide interactive performance workshops on a consultant basis. Visiting artists’ residencies vary from one day to several weeks and integrate with visual arts. Individual expressions alternate with large group projects. Group projects are designed by the program coordinator to lend themselves to a subtext of objectives that enhance learning and social skills and help youth achieve goals through sequential processes. In other words, we learn about ourselves and the world through art.

Artsbridge provides a morning summer camp, All Around the World. Children “travel” to four different countries over an eight-week period. Crafts, dioramas, maps and murals are created. Children learn basic phrases from native speakers (courtesy of the International Students Association). They study historical highlights, geography and ecology of each country. They enjoy weekly special visitors such as Italian fold dancers, Brazilian samba musicians and a Japanese origami artist. A traditional meal prepared by youth and staff takes place before children depart each country. This program is co-taught by artist/Artsbridge Coordinator Nancy Giffey and Education/Recreation Coordinator Teri LeSage. Teri and Nancy integrate arts and education elements. All Around the World provides stipends for teen program assistants. Teens go through application and interview process and job training.

The culminating event for All Around the World is the Annual Triangle Ethnic Fest. Art from the summer is showcased in a huge exhibit. Families enjoy a reception before the exhibit opens to the public. Many teens perform as part of Asian, Latino and African dance troupes. It should be noted that although this nomination has focused on youth 7-12, Artsbridge supports evening programs for teens that include spoken word art, breakdancing, ethnic dancing and special activity nights that include visual art.

Girls groups provide a forum for discussion, creative arts activities, women’s studies and many inspiring visitors. Children and teens who participate in Artsbridge represent a diverse low-income population. Complex and difficult cultural differences within such extended and unique families need to be negotiated; all Bayview staff members try to provide support and facilitate understanding.

Artsbridge Coordinator and Resident Artist Nancy Giffey incorporates the following elements of youth development strategy in all of her work: a sense of belonging, a sense of usefulness, a sense of competenece and a sense of power. These attributes can often act against the negative forces that surround youth today: gangs, drugs, dropping out of school, becoming pregnant, losing hope. Community arts in action has been a vital theme in helping young people to feel they have something to contribute, they are part of a place and a group of people, they can engage in activities for which they are respected and they can be heard, are able to influence decisions, are cared about.

Artsbridge provides a unique service learning opportunity because so many adults with disabilities share the Triangle. Rather than viewing this negatively, Artsbridge has chosen to see it as a gift. Adults with disabilities have read their own poetry and assisted with poetry and photography projects. Young people make cards, handmade gifts and holiday decorations for their neighbors with disabilities and mount joint art exhibits at the Bayview Community Center in order to showcase both their own and their neighbors talents; adults make “fieldtrips” accompanied by an attendant or neighborhood resource staff member to see their art and to enjoy a “coffee hour.” Young people are providing something special. They receive appreciation, they are rewarded and they feel good about their role in the community.

We thank the following sponsors for their generosity and ongoing support:

Evjue Foundation			Pleasant Company

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