News from ARTreach

Winter-Dec/Jan 2008-09

Outlook for 2009

We know that when the economy takes a down turn, our underserved campuses, as well as our social service and family welfare agencies, see an increase in needs and begin to rely more heavily on free ARTreach Programs and Services.

It is more important than ever that we remain focused on our mission to bring the arts to underserved communities. Children at risk, troubled youth, families in crisis, special needs adults, and the elderly benefit greatly from ARTreach Programs. Our organization will be working hard in 2009 to continue to deliver our programs despite the down turn in the economy.

ARTreach is growing!

ARTreach is growing! We are accommodating the increased needs anticipated by our community advisors. Agency representatives, campus principals and social workers are invited to attend our Advisors Meeting being held on January 16th at Hasta La Pasta restaurant in Katy,Texas to share their thoughts and their needs associated with partnerships and art programs. This meeting brings new hope and viable solutions to the table and sets the pace for ARTreach to share the responsibility of outreach with agencies serving people who are slipping through the cracks in our educational, foster care, juvenile justice and family health and welfare systems.

Together we are looking for solutions that will help reduce student apathy, drop out rates, drug abuse, gang activity and violence. We are looking for solutions that will confront depression, improve treatment, enrich lives, and elevate victims to become survivors. Solutions that allow a person to experience and acheive success, and see themselves as contributing, creative and valuable members of our society.

Because Art Works

Because Art Works! It IS part of the solution. ARTreach is growing and training professional artists and art specialists to teach in school districts, charter schools, juvenile detention centers and counseling programs. ARTreach Programs are aiding students, families in crisis, and others at risk to focus on their positive future, and begin to visualize and achieve success through a range of expressive art and interactive social development practices.

Volunteers make a difference

We are training mentors and volunteers to assist children at risk, troubled youth, and families in crisis, special needs adults and the fragile elderly. Volunteer to be a Teaching Artist, Art Mentor or Life Coach. Applications are being accepted now to attend an orientation and sign up for a 12- week ARTreach Training for Excellence Program which begins January 28, 2009.

ARTreach Program Directors are requesting volunteers and assistants to support administrative needs and special projects serving neglected populations. Please scroll down and review our programs and volunteer requests listed or email art.reach@earthlink.net for more information. Orientations and training opportunities are held monthly at our ARTreach Corporate offices located at Extreme Technologies, 12012 Wickchester Suite 300, Houston, Texas 77079 and our retreat and workshop venue located at Agave Road, 1016 FM 1463 Katy, Texas 77492.

Executive Director-Terri Bieber

Marketing Director-Elizabeth Bailey

Grants Department Director - Katherine Ammer

Fundraising Events Coordinator- Keri Aschoff

Volunteers are needed to support a variety of planned events in 2009

Community Relations - Stacy Baer

Stacy is training art volunteers to support ARTreach community outreach events and festival participation, artists that can offer demos and facilitate arts and craft making activities help ARTreach build awareness in the community.

Lorena Fernandez
Program Director- Expressive Arts
Lorena is a professional facilitator of Expressive Art workshops serving Elderly/Alzheimer's, Hospitals and patient recovery, grief counseling, veterans, drug addiction recovery. Staff Development/Expressive Arts Workshops support training and are open to the public the last Wednesday of each month.

Chris Gamez
URGEWORKS Programs Director
These are cultural hip hop programs serving Children at Risk & Troubled Youth
-Gang Intervention

-Arts-in-Education

-Inspirational and Motivational Presentations

Urgeworks programs can be booked for any school and community with up to 100% funding available to needy agencies and high risk schools. Chris is training dancers to support outreach. Volunteers and professional dancers please contact ARTreach to become involved.

Vicki McMillan
Program Director- Special Projects
Children at Risk

International Projects

Missions Outreach

Vickie is seeking teaching artists and volunteers in the Woodlands area to teach art at the We Care Juvenile Placement Center.

Stacy Baer
Program Director- Ceramic & Clay Specialist
ARTreach Studio
Located in Katy, at Ceramics by Tess
402 Grand Parkway
Times Square Shopping Center
Katy, Texas 77494
Volunteers and artists are invited to train at the ARTreach Studio in Katy to work with seniors and fragile elderly and/or adults with intellectual and physical disabilities on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Volunteers must attend orientation prior to placement.

Elizabeth Linder
Program Director- Private Studio Scholarships

Gifted and Talented

Special Needs

Children at risk

Katy area volunteers are needed to support the student and family reception - Gallery Night at Tradition Bank in April.

Kelly Dillard
Program Director
Overseeing Special Needs Adults and Senior Living Community Programs and Community Projects. Kelly is training volunteers to work with her in weekly programs serving the elderly and special needs adults and seeking volunteers to support large scale community painting projects coming up this spring.

Kelly Litvak
Program Director - Tools 4 Teens
Scrapbooking and journaling activities/character education/Christian content/curriculum based. This program can be booked via catalog. This program needs mentors and positive role models to assist.

Dan Egger-Belandria
Program Director Austin Projects. Dan is supporting the development of AIE teaching artist Standards of Excellence and a Texas ARTreach roster of certified specialists and trained professional teaching artists serving special needs and children at risk across the State of Texas. Local agencies and Austin ISD campuses in need please contact ARTreach for support.

Maxine Rothman
Art with a Voice - Exhibition Curator and Director
Maxine is involved the art selection process and installation of professional artwork in our public venue exhibitions and gallery events for underserved communities. Contact ARTreach if you'd like to be involved in the installation and booking of our rotating art exhibitions, to include corporate installations and professional gallery/restaurant events focusing on social justice and outreach.

Film Documentation, Photography and Videography Division
Program Directors Sandy & Janet Buller
Photographers and videographers are always needed to support the documentation of ARTreach Programs. Projects are assigned through this department. Non-Profit organizations in need of videography services, slide shows or unique fundraising presentations may access ARTreach Professional Services.

ARTreach is seeking volunteers and creative individuals!

ART Car and Festival Participation
ARTreach artist participation is often requested. We are looking for volunteers in West Houston, Katy and Fort Bend, and Waller County area that can respond to community festival invitations that request our artist demos, and free art activities- these are community craft shows, church outreach events, National Night Outs, Local Art Shows, and community events. We encourage and train student volunteers to assist. Festival participation includes setting up a 10 x 10' white tent, maintaining a nice display that represents the ARTreach Gallery or a student exhibition and the offering of free art and craft activities /or face painting as requested. Our ability to participate is tied to sponsorships and donor support. Stacy Baer is our Community Relations Director, please contact ARTreach if you'd like to learn more about volunteering to help in this fun festival capacity.

Teaching Artists interested in volunteering- you are invited to submit your program proposals. New art programs are piloted in controlled training situations.

Contact Terri Bieber, ARTreach Executuve Director at 713-444-1897 or email art.reach@earthlink.net about any of the opportunities described.

Katy Hertiage Arts Center is an ARTreach venture located in the Stockdick Home at the Katy Heritage Park, 5990 George Bush Drive, Katy Texas 77492. The center opens January 3rd, Noon- 4 PM. Stop by and shop, all sales benefit ARTreach Programs. You'll find great gifts, and enjoy new artist demos and featured exhibitions the first Saturday of every month.

Volunteers are making a difference!