After School
Chicago is rich in opportunities for artists interested in teaching after-school programs for youth K-12, through community, civic organizations, religious and other formal or informal organizations. Look here for guidance and a list of local teaching opportunities.
Sarah Ward, South Chicago Art Center
As a not-for-profit, how do you select which opportunities to apply for and which ones to ignore? What entrepreneurial strategies have been successful?
The South Chicago Art Center was established in 2001 to address a pressing need in one of Chicago’s most blighted neighborhoods. South Chicago was devoid of free after-school programs and local teenagers had no after-school programs available at all. The Art Center was set up to meet these needs, but also to do much more. Its mission is to provide a safe place for children after school; to bring arts education to local impoverished schools; to stimulate the imaginations of participants of all ages; to cultivate a sense of aesthetics; to boost self-esteem and intellectual curiosity; to decrease incidents of crime and substance abuse; and to promote friendship, solidarity and empowerment in the community.
After seven years of operation, the South Chicago Art Center is still the only free after-school program offered to teens, and is consistently the only free after-school program in the neighborhood. more...