Samples of our work

Examples of the fine work created by students through Young Audiences of Western New York programs.

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Hyatt’s All Things Creative kicks off Arts in Education Week with Young Audiences partnership

Young Audiences of Western New York is pleased to announce its partnership with Hyatt’s All Things Creative, located in Clarence and Buffalo, NY.

When you visit Hyatt’s All Things Creative during the week of September 11th – 17th, 2016, make sure you bring the Education Mailer Postcard you received in the mail with you. For every card brought into Hyatt’s Buffalo or Clarence locations, Hyatt’s will donate $10 to Young Audiences and give you a 30% discount on your entire purchase!

Young Audiences’ goal is to raise $1,000 for art materials. The young people who participate in our programs do not pay for the cost of programming, or for any of the materials used. Support from organizations like Hyatt’s, and from generous patrons and supporters of the arts, make it possible to continue bringing quality arts materials and experiences to our youth.

Keep reading

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The artworks program showed me that their are different careers to pursue

Aiden Visual Arts Apprentice

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Artworks has given me a hands on learning experience in the 21st Century work force that I don't believe I could have gained elsewhere

London Visual Artist Apprentice 

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I still have some difficulty in starting conversations with others, but Artworks helped me to move past my social anxiety and communicate better with group projects

Cameron Visual Arts Apprentice

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Shemar on set operating as the Floor Director at the Apollo worksite 

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Artworks Apollo Media Center worksite with Derricka and Daishuanna operating as the technical directors for a special segment of their fellow apprentice Daneallia “Nelly” (on screen) discussing her Artworks experience. 

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Artworks Coordinator, Esther Blakely holding a signed copy of the first edition of the YAWNY COMICS, “The Healthy Bunch”. This comic book was written and illustrated by the Visual Arts Apprentices: Dinah, Cameron, Aiden, Davona, London, Rehema, and Stephen. 

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Artworks Staff: (front, left to right) Rachel Chen: intern from Cornell, Danielle Myers: Master Teaching Artist at Western NY Book Arts Center, Rosemary Williams: Master Teaching Artist at Western NY Book Arts Center, Robert Lewis: Master Teaching Artist at Apollo Media Center, Emma Brittain: AmeriCorps ABLE member, and Master Teaching Artist Jeremy Stock (Visual Arts)

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Apprentices: Stephen-Dinah-Rehema-Davona-Latrell, Master Teaching Artist: Jeremy Stock, Artworks Coordinator: Esther Blakely at Sunday Skate shop selling their skate decks and comic books! 

(excerpt from the Artworks celebration speech )

“Don’t tell people your dreams. SHOW THEM!” -Anonymous

“I hope the Artworks programs has enabled you to feel more equipped and ready for the great big world out there. I’m expecting great things from all of you! Enjoy the rest of your summer and remember to apply the one thing that I asked every Wednesday and that is to have an open mind! Do not limit yourself and do not allow others to put restraints on what you aspire to be. Truly the world is more beautiful because all of you are in it” !

-Artworks Coordinator Esther Blakely 

[yawny]

“The Artworks Program is true to its name. It is living and breathing proof that art works and that creativity and imagination have the power to change the world for the better” -Master Teaching Artist Jeremy Stock 

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ArtWorks Summer Apprenticeship Program

Students from ArtWorks Summer Apprenticeship Program are spending the summer working and learning with tremendous artists and organizations such as Jeremy Stock, Western New York Book Arts Center, and Apollo Media. ArtWorks is a paid apprenticeship where youth develop their artistic skills as well as gain employment skills in a stimulating artists workplace environment. Here is a sample of a student’s artwork which will be showcased and up for sale at Sunday’s Skate Shop at the end of the summer. 

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Arts Partners for Learning gets a little Starlight

Starlight Studio and Art Gallery is a cooperative environment that supports adults with disabilities in their artistic development. Through technical assistance by professional artists, on-site and off-site exhibitions and other opportunities for representation and sales, the Starlight artists hone their artistic interests, become stronger advocates and better integrated citizens.

2nd grade teacher Mr. Tello brought his class to Starlight Studio as part of the Arts Partners for Learning residency with Waterfront Elementary. 

Students created hybrid animals to discuss diversity and acceptance. 

“This was a great timing for this to happen,” said Mr. Tello, 2nd grade teacher at Waterfront Elementary, “because we were talking about [diversity] in class, and we learned about all different ways to do art.” 

“I loved seeing all of the insects.” added one young student. 

“Mostly,” he added, “I liked that we learned how to work together as a team. We all helped each other.” 

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APL & Neglia Ballet

Arts Partners for Learning provided a residency program with Neglia Ballet at Occupational Training School #42. The program was featured by WBFO correspondent on education Eileen Buckley. 

To read the article, click this link: http://news.wbfo.org/post/bps-42-providing-skills-students-severe-intellectual-disabilities#stream/0

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Poems from the center

Erie County Youth Detention Center programs fluctuate with the youth who travel through it. Every child, regardless of their past choices, or their current state of mind... deserves access to the arts. Young Audiences proudly holds arts as direct tools with which young people who are at risk of social and economic distress can escape troubles, expand their learning, and to grow into their futures with more confidence and hope. 

Poet Annette Daniels Taylor is one of many of our artists who work with young people at the Erie County Detention Center. Below are two samples of poems and expressions that she has guided them to creating. 

Names are removed to protect their privacy. 

I Am Smart and Caring

By Z.

I am smart and caring

I wonder how my life will turn out

I hear the wind

I see freedom

I want success

I am smart and caring

I pretend to be alright

I feel like I f’d everything up

I touch people’s lives

I worry that I won’t change

I cry when I unintentionally hurt someone

I am smart and caring

I understand what I do wrong

I say I want to turn my life around

I dream I will change and be successful

I try to change and to do right

I hope I get a chance to show everyone

I am smart and caring

I Am Strong But Stuck

By J.

I am strong but stuck

I wonder when I will make it

I hear my family calling me

I see my siblings looking up to me

I want to be a role model to those watching me

I am strong but stuck

I pretend that I know what’s best

I feel as if my choices might be wrong

I touch the cuffs knowing I can’t take them off

I worry I’ll be stuck for eternity

I cry that I won’t make it home

I am strong but stuck

I understand that my mistakes are on me

I say I will change and do right

I dream my father will forgive me

I try to prove to my family that I will do better

I hope it won’t be long before I sleep in my bed and not a cot

I am strong but stuck

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Young Adult Life Transitions

Teaching artist Annette Daniels Taylor teaches creative writing with youth from the Young Adult Life Transitions (YALT) at Canisius for Young Audiences’ Rhythm Runs Through It program. Two heartfelt examples, below. 

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Arts Partners for Learning partners Allegany-Limestone Central Schools with Infinity Visual and Performing Arts

Arts Partners for Learning serves to connect our arts and cultural community with urban and rural schools. Here, we connected Infinity Visual and Performing Arts with the Allegany-Limestone Central Schools. 

Deb Eck, a collage and visual artist from Infinity Visual and Performing Arts, created the collages below with students from Allegany. 

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Through Young Audiences’ Underground Railroad Project residency program, children and families learn about our region’s past and work with exemplary and diverse African American artists. Students participate in workshops that feature history, writing, theatre, geography, and music, including “Letters from the Underground,” “Poetry Word Train,” and “Mapping the Road to Canaan.” 

After looking at slave imagery, including print images from the 1800’s periodicals, paintings from Jacob Lawrence’s “Migration” series, and the historical painting “The Underground Railroad” by Charles T. Weber, students shared words that the imagery brought to mind. Then students were asked to use these words to create a group or individual poem.

Above, a student wrote about the mix of fear and longing he identified with in the stories of runaway slaves.

“I see my people running away. / I don’t run with them, I’m scared so I’ll just stay. / They say they run because they’re scared of Master. / Many get caught, they should have ran faster. / I want to be free but I can’t I’m a slave. / I want to be free in the ocean like a wave.”

See more student writing from the Underground Railroad residency

This 5 to 20 session residency was designed to explore Western New York’s history through ties to the Underground Railroad and performing and literary arts. See more goals below. The residency is designed for grades 4-12.

Find out more about the Underground Railroad Project

RESIDENCY GOALS

To provide students with exposure to exemplary and diverse African American artists that use art as a vehicle to explore history and articulate their responses to this history

To help students increase their oral, written and nonverbal communication skills through the exploration of Underground Railroad history

Increase understanding regarding racial and ethnic disparities and to increase opportunities to interact across racial/ethnic lines

Increase educational attainment of students in both the City of Buffalo and rural schools

Promote knowledge of and pride in the region’s social history specific to the Underground Railroad in Western New York

To help students link the cultural resistance and resilience associated with the Underground Railroad movement to their own value and pride

To encourage students to examine how history is written, who it is written by and why that is important