Los Angeles, CA. Free Arts LA was founded with the goal of helping children in the foster system who had suffered from trauma or abuse by teaching them to express themselves and rebuild their self-esteem through art and craft. Today, the organization helps over 22,000 children across Los Angeles by pairing children with adult mentors and volunteers who guide the children through the artistic process of painting, drawing, writing, or other arts, serving as positive influences while the children find and improve themselves after their difficult experiences. Due to the pandemic, however, volunteers who wish to work directly with children must undergo their two-day training course over Zoom.
Free Arts LA volunteers taking a fun break while undergoing their online training course.
Free Arts LA offers several programs through its partners, namely an 8-week long Mentorship program, their Court program where children are encouraged to engage in arts to provide them with a safe space before appearing and testifying at the Edmund D. Edelman Children’s Courthouse, and Free Arts Day, a fun one-day event held across LA county that helps children have fun and builds their sense of community.
Art Swagger LA, an art and design fundraiser held annually, has partnered with Free Arts this year and all proceeds from the event will go directly to the organization, helping to further develop its programs. The fundraiser will include a virtual panel, a silent auction, and – if Covid-19 conditions improve – an in person event on September 30th, 2021.
For more information about Art Swagger 2021, click here: https://www.artswagger-la.com/
More about Free Arts for Abused Children:
Free Arts programs inspire hope in the lives of children from ages 5-18 who have experienced abuse, neglect, poverty and homelessness through innovative creative arts programs and positive interactions with caring adult volunteers. Free Arts LA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
For more information about Free Arts, click here: https://www.freearts.org/
