Express Yourself Milwaukee's mission is to celebrate the power of the creative arts and to transform the lives of undeserved youth in the community. The non-profit arts organization provides intensive art programs to at-risk youth, ages 7-21, throughout the city. The program is centered around weekly group sessions taught by community artists and art therapists. Students get the opportunity to express themselves and create art focused around a specific theme. The theme is reinforced through art-making, group discussion and sharing. Then the program expands to production work, such as music, art, dance, writing, group discussion, poems, and more.
Lifted. That's how you feel when you leave Express Yourself Milwaukee, and that's also the name of this year's pop-up gallery. "Lifted" features twenty larger than life portraits and birds created by the youthand staff involved in Express Yourself Milwaukee's 2011 Summer Arts Camp. The outdoor gallery explores a variety of ways in which we elevate ourselves by both our surroundings and the people around us. The project is a result of partnerships between the Neighborhood Improvement Development Corporation and the City of Milwaukee.
Hosted by Washington Park Partners Arts and Culture Committee, "Lifted" runs through October 31st. The outdoor gallery is located on the vacant lot at 3322 West Lisbon Avenue. Click below to hear from some of the students and Express Yourself Milwaukee's Executive Director, Lori Vance.
