ArtReach brings artists, community together for pay-what-you-can workshop series
Proceeds from the ‘Community. Access. Connection’ workshop series support ArtReach’s free visual arts education programs for Title I schools
EMILY ALVARENGA | THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE
OCTOBER 28, 2022
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In an effort to further connect the community with art, ArtReach is hosting art workshops in its new space — for San Diegans of all ages.
Since 2007, the nonprofit has focused on providing free visual art programs to youth across San Diego County, primarily at Title I schools that do not otherwise have funding for art.
“We’re serving all these neighborhoods and all these schools and students, but once we leave the classroom, is there access to art beyond that? We don’t know,” said Yasmine Kasem, the workshop coordinator.
Now, ArtReach is now expanding its programming and hosting art workshops for the community outside of a traditional school classroom in Studio HQ, its new office space in Bankers Hill.
“We wanted to create additional opportunities for people to come in and get some extra art in their lives and focus on serving people of all ages,” Kasem added.
Among those is “Community. Access. Connection,” a pay-what-you-can workshop series that provides accessible art lessons to the community, led by local professional artists who share their unique skills in diverse mediums, from acrylic painting to textile art.
With a suggested donation of $20, proceeds from each event directly support ArtReach’s free visual arts education programs, as well as the workshop series by funding materials and artist stipends.
“There’s not a lot of art funding throughout the county — and that’s why we exist — so even a donation as little as $10 is going to ensure one (child) artist gets art for the year,” said Anna Laroque, community engagement manager at ArtReach.
Each two-hour lesson focuses on a different medium and technique. Workshops can accommodate up to 18 participants and are kid- and family-friendly.
They’re also a way to support local artists — whose material fees are covered and are paid for their participation — and share their skills.
“Just as much as this is a platform to give people access to education, it’s also a platform to elevate artists,” Kasem said. “So it’s really a place to showcase them, uplift them and connect them to their communities.”
During a recent workshop, artist Lulu Yueming Qu taught traditional Chinese painting using Chinese brushes, ink and rice paper.
When Qu immigrated from Beijing in 2018, she brought with her more than 20 years of Chinese painting skills, which she was excited to share with San Diego.
“There’s a lot of people who know about other cultures in San Diego, but they don’t really get to practice them,” Qu said. The workshop is “a very good opportunity for people to learn more about art.”
For Qu, it was special to have the opportunity to instruct participants on traditional materials they’d never used before.
“Traditional Chinese painting is so unique, so different from other types of art, so … I want to introduce people to it,” she added.
For more information on ArtReach’s workshops, visit artreachsandiego.org/events or @artreachsd on social media.
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