What
Awesome Arts
Awesome Arts is a community engaged program that allows participants of
all ages to explore issues important to their community through the arts.
Held in partnership with community organizations in underserved
neighbourhoods, Awesome Arts offers an exciting series of workshops for
different age groups that culminate in a public celebration. Participants
express themselves via various art forms such as slam poetry, animation,
music, theatre and video, all the while exploring issues important to them
and their community. The Awesome Arts Festival brings the community
together for an evening of celebration during which the participants share
their creations. The Festival also features professional artists, inspiring the
entire community to remain connected with the arts and the issues.
Programs
Two Awesome Arts programs were offered in 2017-18. In the Fall of 2017,
MASC held the 4th Awesome Arts program and festival in Sandy Hill in
partnership with the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre (SHCHC). 2017-18
was also the 8th annual MASC Awesome Arts en folie program and festival
held in Lowertown, Ottawa, in partnership with Lowertown Community
Resource Centre, Patro d’Ottawa, Centre de services Guigues, Ottawa
Community Housing and York St. Public School.
Almost 1000 Ottawa residents aged 5 - 95 participated in Awesome Arts’
programs this year. They participated in over 200 workshops in all artistic
disciplines. More than 750 community members attended the festival
celebrations.
The communities were fully engaged, and Awesome Arts left numerous
legacy projects (murals, photo exhibits and videos) in the community.
Through our Lowertown program, we also worked with Phyllis Novak from
SKETCH in Toronto who helped us develop a comprehensive Theory of
Change and evaluation plan for Awesome Arts as part of our Ontario Trillium
Foundation Grow Grant. Other Awesome Arts supporters include: Ottawa
Community Foundation, City of Ottawa, Shout Sister Ottawa, Sandy Hill One
& Only Craft Fair, and New Horizons.
Awesome Arts - International Spotlight Award
In November 2017, the MASC Awesome Arts program was awarded the
International Spotlight Award presented by the American National Arts and
Humanities Youth program. Along with 12 exceptional organizations from
across the United States, MASC was thrilled to travel to Washington DC to
receive the United States' highest honour for after-
school arts and humanities programs that
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reach underserved youth.
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