Why Art?
Therapeutic art | The creative process involved in art-making can be innately therapeutic- helping one resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight. After traumatic experiences, survivors sometimes struggle with verbalizing their experiences, prolonging the healing process and increasing the chances of development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The arts facilitate verbal and non-verbal expression, allowing the art-makers to communicate on multiple platforms and reflect on their experience. Art Feeds strives to provide as safe environment for the students to freely express themselves and a caring community to tend to the needs expressed. We in turn provide emotional support and platforms to vocalize issues to give each child the voice they deserve.
Creative Education | The arts transform the learning environment. When the arts become central to the learning environment, schools and other settings become places of discovery; school culture is changed and learning is improved. The arts reach students who are not otherwise being reached. Young people who are disengaged from schools and other community institutions are at the greatest risk of failure or harm. The arts provide a reason, and sometimes the only reason, for being engaged with school or other organizations. Recent educational research has produced insights into different styles of learning. The theory of multiple intelligences illustrates that students learn in a myriad of ways: linguistically, logically, spatially and kinesthetically. The arts connect students to themselves and each other- allowing them to exercise their learning styles independently. Creating a piece of artwork is a personal experience. The student draws upon his or her personal resources to generate the result. By engaging his or her whole person, the students we reach feel invested in ways that are deeper than “knowing the answer.” Experiences such as this enable our children to grow and connect with one another in new ways. The arts provide new challenges for those students already considered successful. Boredom and complacency are barriers to success. For those young people who outgrow their established learning environments, the arts can offer a chance for unlimited challenge. Art Feeds programs help children develop literacy skills such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The arts encourage divergent thinking and problem-solving skills, enabling students to think creatively.