Austin Arts & Culture Center
About Us
Austin Arts & Culture Center will be an arts and cultural center in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. It is a registered 501(c)(3) organization that owns the building where it will operate.
Local children’s clubs, organizations, schools, and other establishments will be able to use the facility for arts-related activities at no cost.
Austin Arts & Culture Center is the brainchild of Ruth Kimble, who knows that after-school, evening, and weekend programs are scarce in her community. There is a noticeable lack of
support for parents and children, and the center will give parents the opportunity to be involved with their children and youth at no cost. The objective of the center is to help children and youth become exposed to something different.
Why?
Art has many developmental benefits for children and youth of all ages.
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It helps fine-tune their motor skills,
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It enhances their language development,
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It improves visual-spatial skills,
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Art encourages inventiveness and self-expression
And much more!
How?
The Austin Arts & Culture Center will host the space for the above programs but not run them. It will seek artists in those disciplines and invite them to run their programs in the center. Partners including local clubs, schools, and extension programs will be invited to use the space.
OUR MISSION
To empower youth aged 8-20 in the Austin Community of Chicago by providing a safe and nurturing space for artistic exploration, skill development, and creative expression. We are dedicated to fostering a vibrant cultural hub that enriches the lives of young people and strengthens the Austin community through the transformative power of art.
OUR PROGRAMS
We Offer a Variety of programs for Children and Youth to participate in.
DIGITAL ARTS
Children and youth can build a body of work that spans multi-media, design, web, sound, storytelling, and performance platforms using new technology and equipment in an inclusive space.
ART FUNDAMENTALS
Children and youth will learn the functions and elements of art,
which will form a solid base for practicing their artistic skills.
CHARACTER DESIGN REFERENCES (CDR)
This is a webzine dedicated to the art of animation, video games, comics, and illustration. It is the largest community of character designers online.
BEGINNING SEWING
Everything a child will need to know as they get started sewing,
crocheting, or quilting. Children and youth will learn how to buy or use a sewing machine and more.
MUSIC, POETRY, AND DANCE
Led by local artists, this program will foster a lifelong love of
performance and creative expression.
THEATRE ARTS
A course to teach young actors the fundamentals of acting and poetry through “disciplined play”—games, improvisation, and storytelling.
CULINARY ARTS
Children and youth will learn the basics of culinary arts and learn how to put them to use.
We believe that having art through an educational experience will transform the confidence and idealization of youth and families in the community that we will serve.
PARTNERSHIPS
Our current established Partnerships
Friendship Baptist Church
Austin Coming Together (ACT)
Bethel New Life
New Moms
Parent University
A House in Austin
Brunson Elementary School
Ella Flagg Young School
McNair School
Boys & Girls Clubs
Girl Scouts
Polished Pebbles
BUILD
West Side Health Authority
Project Exploration
Westside Forward
World Vision
Kids First
City of Chicago
State of Illinois
Our Center will partner with organizations, clubs, state and local programs, schools, and churches in the area and offer them a place to hold their arts and culture programs.