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Project Goals The goal of the Youth Art Project is, by means of weekly year round classes, to <br />empower local refugee youths over the age of ten through visual arts <br />participation, educational enrichment and support. The Project, known previously <br />as the Karen Youth Art Group, has, over the past twelve years, harnessed the <br />inherent artistic talents of its 140 plus Karen students to foster and enhance their <br />self reliance and career possibilities. In the fall of 2023 the Group was opened up <br />to refugees of other cultures and at that time it included a Honduran family and <br />non Karen Burmese refugees. FRANK recently re kindled its partnership with <br />Kidzu Children's Museum and has started a collaboration with their Ukrainian <br />refugee initiative with the goal of taking in Ukrainian students over the age of 10. <br />This involves working with Kidzu's weekly Family W orkshop led by a Ukrainian <br />refugee artist and the Group's UNC based student, Sheemoo Tatataw volunteers <br />there every Friday and, as of September, will receive a joint stipend for working <br />there on Saturdays. On June 29 Kidzu and FRANK will share a recruiting table at <br />the Durham Refugee Fair. In time the FRANK Group will hold some classes at <br />Kidzu in addition to having Sunday morning art and educational classes at FRANK <br />Gallery. FRANK does not intend changing the Group's goals. Instead it plans on <br />broadening the Youth Art Group's cultural composition with the purpose of <br />accomplishing greater community diversity, equity and inclusion both at the gallery <br />and in the community. <br />Audience Description The Group's audience continues to be young refugees. W e have developed an <br />arts based structured curriculum which appeals to such participants and which, we <br />have discovered, empowers many of them into further and higher education and <br />better work prospects than those enjoyed by their refugee parents. To date we <br />have worked with mainly with Karen (Burmese ) refugees in a class of no more <br />than twelve students at a time. Refugees have challenging situations and need <br />one on one attention, assistance with social issues, language and verbal <br />expression. Transportation is also an issue hence the number cap. There is a <br />significant Karen population in Carrboro/ Chapel Hill. The Group started 12 years <br />ago when FRANK volunteer Frances Hamer brought young Karen refugees into <br />the Gallery at our first venue on Franklin Street . Their response to the opportunity <br />to work with FRANK artists was significant. One hundred and forty students later <br />we have enjoyed many student successes including three university graduates, <br />including a BFA, a current UNC-CH art student and former students working in <br />local public service occupations and the health sector. The Program is now ready <br />to include additional culturally diverse local young refugees in our community. W e <br />are welcoming more central Americans displaced by gangs and climate change <br />and Ukrainian students displaced by the current invasion of their homeland by <br />Russia. Our intake must be ten years old and above- some students stay with us <br />for many years and help with the youth group. <br />Docusign Envelope ID: CBE41939-719A-4696-9DEF-A5A8E3BD2E8B