ACL Program Overview
Art Creates Life offers year round classes and training for students ages 6 to adult. Our programs are based on life studies geared towards artistic training and founded in the concept of character, compassion, context, and ultimately developing global citizens.
Each year, ACL develops a curriculum based on relevant social issues that affects under developed communities both in the United States and in the African Diaspora. In previous years we have dealt with issues such as the trans-Atlantic slave trade in the Caribbean to AIDS orphans in the U.S. and in Africa. The curriculum is based on a process where students move from an in-depth historical examination of real stories and real people who have dealt with these issues to the construction of text, character, visual art, movement, and song based on the student’s perspective of these life studies. Throughout the year, students travel to Art Creates Life institutes within the African Diaspora to continue studies and community service projects.
“In Residence Program”
ACL offers a course for elementary, middle and high school aged students that attempts to evoke a compelling conversation between students and the world about character, compassion, community and commitment. Through our work we help students to recognize and value their self worth by challenging them to understand and engage in the world around them, sympathizing and most often empathizing with children and families whose plights are unimaginable. Through our work, we have found that when students are faced with issues such as poverty, war, famine, and disease, exploring the personal stories of children and families within Africa and the Diaspora and the strength and courage exhibited to survive these atrocities, these students begin to find their own strength to want to do better, be better, spread better to their own families and communities as well as the world around them. These students begin to understand that their contribution to themselves, their schools, their communities, their world, is vital and critical to the survival of humanity. All of these stories, these journeys lead to one dream; a future that is filled with hope and compassion. A human race that values, supports, and protects life.
Art Creates Life partners with schools, universities, and organizations in the US and abroad offering workshops, Saturday classes, after-school and in-residence programs, and adult classes throughout the year. Our staff consists of writers, choreographers, visual artists, actors, directors, and musicians, all highly qualified professional artists and educators who have committed to leadership through service.
Please contact us to learn more about our programs: artcreateslife@aol.com
