Art Feeds Joplin

Guest contributor Brooke LeMasters, Director of Visual Content for Art Feeds, describes the mission of her organization.

Art Feeds believes all children are artists. We exist to feed creative development and facilitate emotional expression in children through art and community. To do this, we provide therapeutic art and creative education programs within schools and children’s organizations by mobilizing teams of community members to bring all forms of art into classrooms. 

I’m Brooke – Director of Visual Content (i.e. I’m glued to my laptop chatting about Art Feeds happenings, probably blowing up your FB feed.) I met our founder Meg and Art Feeds when it was about 6 months old in 2009 & it’s been love ever since. 

Now our team is mighty and loud. In 2009, we started in one classroom. Now, we’re celebrating being in every single Joplin Public Elementary School in Fall 2014, plus 3 children’s organizations and 2 pre-schools. That’s 4500 Joplin kids being reached consistently with our programming! 

Here’s one of my favorite things about Art Feeds – it’s totally community driven. That means it was inspired by Joplin kids, is facilitated by Joplin community members, funded by Joplin businesses and citizens and partnered with Joplin Schools. You can find us at every Art Walk, around town doing art installations and probably high fiving your neighbor kids when we run into each other downtown. 

 

Here are a few ways to be a part of the community that makes Art Feeds possible:

Apply to be a volunteer or part time employee for Art Feeds during the school year in Art Feeds Joplin programs. Commitments are typically 2-8 hour windows between 8&3, Monday-Friday and sure to be your favorite part of the week.

Bring your K-5 child to a Second Saturday workshop! On the Second Saturday of every month, we host a 2.5 hour workshop focusing on one exciting theme. Check out our upcoming summer workshops here.

Join our Outreach team to support us online for upcoming online voting grants & publicity opportunities.

 

And, of course, hang out with me on the interwebs: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. It’s a simple way to support our programs and you might just find the perfect way to get involved.

Wanna know more? GREAT. We made a little place just for you.

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Living Life to The Fullest!

I love seeking out new experiences and finding places off the beaten path. I started Joplin MO Life in August 2013 as a way to share my discoveries with others in the Joplin community so that they can learn about the resources that exist right in their own backyards.

I have worked in education and event planning, and have always loved to write. I hold a master's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor's degree in marketing from Tulane University.