Collaborate in the Community

Collaborate in the Community
Collaborate in the Community

What is Community Arts

Community arts is a signature program of Baltimore Clayworks and has been for more than eighteen years. Through this initiative, Clayworks conducts arts activities beyond its doors, developing collaborations with grassroots and cultural organizations, schools and public agencies, to connect Clayworks' artists with individuals of marginalized communities of Baltimore and providing access to quality hands-on arts programming.

How Community Arts Works

We develop partnerships with large service-provider organizations such as the Y of Central Maryland and Police Athletic League as well as with smaller community organizations, afterschool programs and churches that are excited about providing their members with a quality experience in ceramics. We develop a program that suits each particular organization's structure and goals, bringing the program to them or hosting it at our satellite studio.

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Community Arts Projects and Initiatives

Partnerships
  • Providing ceramics classes throughout the city
  • Partnering with the Y of Central Maryland to offer art classes in seven “Y” schools’ after school programs
  • Providing arts-based classes weekly in St. Frances Community Center's after school program
  • Offering our A-Teams program to middle and high school students through funding from the Family League of Baltimore
  • Providing ceramic arts classes in eleven schools (multiple classes in many) as well as dozens of community centers, churches and other outreach programs throughout Baltimore City
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Residencies
  • Hosting artists of national and international caliber to work with our community members
  • Hosting two graduate interns through our partnership with the Maryland Institute College of Art’s Masters of Art in Community Art program
  • Hosted artists Kyle and Kelly Phelps of Ohio, Lydia Thompson of Virginia, Bill Stewart of New York, and Myung Jin Choi of Pennsylvania, Laura Jean McLaughlin of Pittsburg, David MacDonald and Justin Rothshank of Pittsburg to work with the students in our community arts program
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Public Art
  • Partnering with institutions and artists to create public art installations and exhibitions
  • Philadelphia artist Myung Jin Choi worked with middle and high school students from a residential treatment program at Sheppard Pratt Health Care Systems. Together they created a sculpture entitled “Safe Spaces,” that is permanently installed on the grounds of the Sheppard Pratt campus in Towson, Maryland. Funded by the Mid Atlantic Arts foundation
  • Pittsburg artist, Laura Jean McLaughlin worked with students from the Good Shepherd Center, a residential facility for girls in creating Community Milagros, a mosaic mural on the wall of their exterior courtyard. Funded by the Mid Atlantic Arts foundation
  • Justin Rothshank, Pittsburg based artist worked with community members through Jubilee Arts to create an installation on the property of the newly build and renovated arts center. Funded by the Mid Atlantic Arts foundation
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Satellite Studios
  • Developing ceramics studios in various neighborhoods in Baltimore City to provide regular high quality arts experiences to community members
  • Our signature satellite programming includes classes and workshops for senior adults, Saturday classes for youth and intergenerational workshops for families
  • Our satellite locations have included Mondawmin Mall and Forest Park Senior Center. The current location is at Pimlico Road Arts and Community Center and we are developing a location with Jubliee Arts in the Sandtown/Winchester neighborhoods

Baltimore Clayworks and the community institutions with which we work have consistently demonstrated that well-designed, sustained and supervised arts programs truly make difference in the lives of youth from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. If you would like to join Baltimore Clayworks in creating opportunities for the youth of Baltimore, please contact Community Arts at 410-578-1919 or by email at rachel.robinson@baltimoreclayworks.org

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