ARTSMART
ArtSmart provides low-income and at-risk students with arts enrichment and curriculum integration for enhanced learning. By engaging with local artists, young people are inspired through dance, story telling, music, poetry, painting, sculpture and field trips. For artists instructors, ArtSmart provides professional development opportunities.
In 2021, ArtSmart contracted with 11 artist instructors who led 18 classes in 4 participating Title-I schools, serving 336 students.
Since 2012, ArtSmart has provided cross-cultural, multimedia, community arts programming in the region with special emphasis on SMSD Title 1 Schools. Students are exposed to a variety of artists who discuss their careers. The programming themes include multiculturalism, environmentalism and social emotional learning.
Meet some of the instructors:
Anthony 'AO' Oropeza is the artist behind Amigoman, a bilingual comic book super hero, and the newly created Eco Green Team. Oropeza is the entrepreneur behind Strong Ave. Studios, which he founded in 2000. He is also writer, artist, art director, marketer and publisher.
Comic Book Creator, Writer, Artist and Publisher of bilingual comic book AMIGOMAN and the Eco-Green Team. AMIGOMAN books are created for different age groups from Pre-8th. AO's class visits are 45 minutes and he discusses and demonstrates what he does as an artist and creator. AO will conduct an interactive drawing and writing lesson. With every visit students receive AMIGOMAN items such as coloring pages, activity pages, mock comic pages, book marks, postcards and/or stickers. Books are for sale and available at a school discount rate. COST: $170/class of 25 students
FUNDERS
THE HARRY CHAPIN FOUNDATION
RECYCLED MURAL
Students will work together to create a mural (approximately 8 x 4) using recycled materials while discussing topics of landfill diversion. This activity takes 2.5-3 hours and involves the entire selected grade level. The mural is taken to InterUrban ArtHouse for completion and returned to the school to become an installation in a common area of the school.
ARBORETUM FIELD TRIP
Suggested activity for 4TH, 5th, OR 6th GRADE
Students will have an opportunity to visit the Overland Park Arboretum and experience a variety of art based environmental activities. The ArtHouse partners with the OP Arboretum and local artists. Activities vary and may include: paper making from recycled materials, exploring printmaking, trash relays, and drawing from observation. This field trip does not include the cost of buses to the arboretum. COST: $275 + Arboretum Admission Fee ($1/student, $3/adult)
Suggested activity for 4TH, 5th, or 6th GRADE
Amado Espinoza & Karen Lisondra perform original and dynamic compositions using instruments rarely seen in Kansas City like the charango and tarkas, as well as different indigenous instruments from all over the globe, all hand-made by Amado.
Amado Espinoza is a composer, multi-instrumentalist and instrument maker from Cochabamba, Bolivia. He teams up with his wife, Kansas-born Karen Lisondra, a theatre-artist who has spent the last decade touring the world with distinguished South American theatre companies. Amado and Karen have been collaborating artistically since 2011. Their mission is to inspire curiosity and respect for indigenous cultures and the environment, stimulate creativity, and promote community values through music.
Retaliating against the mentality that somebody else will take care of the trash is the basis of our hands-on workshops. Youth will be inspired to look at used objects in a wholly creative manner, making and playing their own musical instruments and enhance problem solving skills, self-esteem and community values through instrument making. We compare our recycled instruments to world indigenous instruments, giving a cultural context to our program and demonstrating a respectful and resourceful human relationship to the natural world through music. COST: $170/class of 25 students
Manuel 'Lukky' Harvey is one of Kansas City, MO’s premier hip hop dancers and choreographers. He is a community leader in Kansas City, MO, where he mentors inner city youth, hosts multiple dance battles and outreach programs. Lukky is the Creator of the iPush Hip Hop Workshop series, which facilities the opportunity for local dancers to train with some of the industries top instructors close to home.
Isha “Ice” is a dancer, choreographer, and mentor. She recognizes there is a need for positive influence in today’s world of dance and entertainment. Ms. Ice has passion and heart for women and youth. Through mentoring she gives alternatives on living and maintaining a motivated state of mind.
Offer: Intense Dance Class featuring Hip Hop Choreography, Exercise, Fun and Rhythmic Games. Students are given the opportunity to display Leadership skills by guiding others in various segments during the class period. At the end of each year, the students will showcase learned choreography.
Art Club have professional artists facilitate your after school club! contact us for more information