National youth development funders hold Riverzedge Arts as a model for success, both as an organization and for the outcomes we produce. We set high expectations for youth participants, and the deliver high-impact, authentic learning experiences that inspire them to achieve.
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Arts & Business Entrepreneurship
Our nationally-awarded arts and entrepreneurship studio programs offer quality arts education, hands-on jobs training and alternative routes to diploma attainment through client projects and grant-funded public works. Teen artists are challenged to create cutting-edge art and design in an environment fostering cooperation and high performance. Participants enroll in one of five arts and design studios:
Print Works | Design Works | Media Works | Public Art Lab | Green Design Lab
Participants generally remain in their studio until they complete high school. Art making and high expectations lead to improvement in social skills, work habits, college and career prospects and family life. Studios can accommodate from 8 to 20 participants, and the studio programs serve around 50 youth per school year. In the summer, additional funding allows this number to expand to approximately 60.
[button shape=”square” size=”regular” float=”left” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” href=”http://riverzedgearts.org/programs/studio-programs/”]Learn More About the Studio Programs[/button]ELO Woonsocket
While most people know Riverzedge Arts through our studio programs, our expanded learning opportunities program serves the largest number of youth. For calendar year 2014, we expect to have more than 200 students participate in ELOs, although not all students will complete their ELOs within the year.
ELOs let students learn-by-doing alongside subject matter experts, who volunteer as community mentors, and teacher mentors, who approve the ELO project as credit worthy. Students can either develop their own projects or participate in group ELO projects that yield high school credits and may qualify for other graduation requirements. Along with transferable academic, workplace and life skills, and ELOs provide students with caring, adult guidance to ensure they are prepared to apply and gain acceptance to college.
[button shape=”square” size=”regular” float=”left” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” href=”http://elowoonsocket.com”]Learn More About ELO[/button]Wallace Foundation
In 2013, Riverzedge Arts was one of only 8 afterschool arts programs in the entire country to be featured in the Wallace Foundation report Something To Say: Success Principles for Afterschool Arts Programs from Urban Youth and Other Experts. Riverzedge, along with the other featured programs, were commended for their expansive, in-depth and serious lenses on arts programming for youth. The report laid out 10 principles for highly successful arts program and Riverzedge exemplifies all 10. We always say that art and design in the hands of youth are a powerful force for social and individual change and this report says just that!
[button shape=”square” size=”regular” float=”left” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” href=”http://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/arts-education/Community-Approaches-to-Building-Arts-Education/Pages/Something-to-Say-Success-Principles-for-Afterschool-Arts-Programs.aspx”]View The Report[/button]Summer Placemaking Workforce Initiative
Our Summer of Arts and Service focuses on the completion of large-scale public art and design projects in conjunction with city and partner initiatives. These projects allow us to expand the number of youth we serve during this period when youth are most at risk.
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Riverzedge Arts After Hours extends the art-making day into the evening and opens more opportunities for teens to work alongside artists and develop art and design skills by completing hands on, real world projects.
[button shape=”square” size=”regular” float=”left” info=”none” info_place=”top” info_trigger=”hover” href=”http://riverzedgearts.org/programs/after-hours”]Learn More About After Hours[/button]Awards and Recognition
Over the years, Riverzedge Arts has been honored with a multitude of awards and recognition for our philosophy and approach to art, design, place making and creative youth development. These awards range from small prestigious local institutions to larger, national ones including in 2010 being awarded The National Council on the Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, naming us one of the top 15 out-of-school arts program in the entire country.
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