By Cassie Grooms, Event Marketing Intern

Throughout my internship here at Arts for Learning, I have learned so much about non-profit organizations, necessary marketing skills, and I will need for my future career. On top of all of this knowledge, I have gotten to work with some amazing people.

During the past two months I have written blogs, posted to different social media platforms, researched vendors and grants, compiled different databases, and a lot more. These tasks have helped me develop essential marketing and communication skills that I can take with me to help further my career in the future. I have also learned how much hard work goes into running a non-profit organization. Everyone is here because they believe in the arts and they are willing to work hard to keep them alive in schools.

I want to thank everyone who has helped during my time at Arts for Learning. Especially Megan and Joli who took time out of their busy schedules to help me and my fellow interns with career readiness. I know I can speak for all of us when I say that we greatly appreciate your help!

Arts for Learning was my first internship, and I could not have asked for a better experience! Thank you to everyone who made it possible!

By Cassie Grooms, Event Marketing Intern

It is no secret that pre-school and kindergarten aged children don’t always have the most fun at museums. They get distracted, bored, and they don’t fully understand the meaning of the exhibits. To provide a better experience for these children, the Indiana Museum of Art and Arts for Learning have an ongoing partnership together to bring an age-appropriate museum experience for these children. This program is called Toddler Art Groups, or TAG. This program allows young children to enjoy their museum experience by participating in workshops led by our professional teaching artists. Our teaching artists also participate in the Tag Along workshops where they extend the museum experience back into their classrooms.

Robin McBride Scott, an Arts for Learning professional teaching artist, had this to say about her TAG experience, “Working with the preschoolers in the TAG program at the IMA has been incredible. Seeing the creative energy the kids put out there when presented with new experiences and materials has been wonderful. Being a Teaching Artist with these kids has been an enriching and rewarding experience.”

If you’re interested in bringing an early childhood programs to your classroom, visit this page here.

By Cassie Grooms, Event Marketing Intern

Inside Arts is a program that helps at-risk youth in juvenile detention centers in Indiana. More specifically, it brings arts education to four centers; Marion County Juvenile Detention Center, Bartholomew County Youth Services Center, Pendleton Juvenile Correction Facility, and Hamilton County Juvenile Services Center.

Marion County houses both males and females from the young age of seven, all the way up to age seventeen. There are currently 89 youth staying in this facility. The kids who are detained are done so for various reasons. The average stay at this facility is 14 to 21 days.

Bartholomew County Services Center holds males and females alike. The children currently in this facility range from age nine, to adults aged twenty-one. Bartholomew County serves a nine county area and offer programs such as secure detention, shelter, and day treatments.

The Pendleton Juvenile Correctional Facility offers both campus-style housing and maximum security housing for male students only. Their current student count is 153, and they have the potential to house a total of 360 students. The age range for this facility is 13-19 years of age.

Hamilton County Juvenile Services Center uses positive reinforcement and an opportunity to change their behavior to work with the students assigned to their facility. Right now, the age range of their students is 13 to 18 years old and includes both males and females. This facility is different in the fact that they are a non-secure, temporary space for juveniles who have committed status offences.

Last year, Inside Arts helped 802 of the children staying in these facilities, through 61 artist programs. With the help from the funds raised through Giving Tuesday, this program will hopefully be able to reach even more students this year. These children will learn a creative outlet that could eventually help express themselves through art. For more information on donating to this cause, visit this website.

By: Cassie Grooms, Event Marketing Intern

It is a sad fact that there are many children and young adults in the United States end up in juvenile detention centers waiting for a court date. Have you ever wondered just how many children and young adults are in the juvenile detention system? Below are some statistics that may answer some of your questions.

1. Every year, juvenile courts in the U.S. handle an estimated 1.7 million cases in which the youth was charged with a delinquency offense.
2. One out of every five youth who is brought before the court with a delinquency case is detained.
3. Every day, over 20,000 youth are detained in America.

If you’re wondering how you can help these kids, we have a solution! Arts for Learning’s program, Inside Arts, helps children and young adults in detention centers in Indiana by bringing arts education right to them. This Giving Tuesday, you can donate any dollar amount and Ernst & Young will match the donation. For more information on the program or donation, visit this website.