Youth Arts: Unlocked (YAU) recently announced a new federal grant to support high-quality arts programming for justice-involved youth aimed at reducing juvenile delinquency, recidivism and other problem and high-risk behaviors. YAU was one of five programs nationwide to be chosen for this federal grant awarded through the U.S. Justice Department’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Numerous studies have shown that introducing arts to troubled youth helps to increase the protective factors that reduce juvenile recidivism. Often young people who commit crimes are plagued by deep-seated trauma. Art, in its many forms, helps to heal that trauma and assists these young people in making positive changes for their future.
Congressman Dan Kildee, who assisted YAU in securing this federal grant, stated, “I am proud to have helped secure this critical federal funding for Youth Arts: Unlocked to support youth in Genesee County. This program supports mid-Michigan children as they improve their physical and mental well-being and develop strong interpersonal skills. In Congress, I will always fight to bring federal funding back to mid-Michigan to help our children and community thrive.”
YAU is a nonprofit program founded in 2011 to help justice-involved youth unlock the creativity within them to foster pride and a sense of self-worth and accomplishment while they are detained and/or on probation. YAU partners with the 7th Judicial Circuit Family Court and the Genesee County Juvenile Justice Center (GCCJC) to offer weekly visual art, dance, theatre, spoken word poetry and yoga workshops.
YAU not only brings art to justice-involved youth, but brings their work to the public. Work is currently on display at Good Beans Cafe in Flint. YAU will also participate in the Flint Artwalk from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, October 13 at Sauce Italian American Kitchen, 352 Saginaw Street, in downtown Flint. The art that will be on display has been created by youth detained at GCJJC and youth on probation. Some drawings and paintings are light and playful, while others depict sadness and tell a story of tragedy and loss. These pieces truly tell the story of the multitude of experiences these individuals have had in their young lives, both positive and negative. By giving them an artistic outlet, YAU assists in helping them cope and move forward.
YAU is also proud to announce that the Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC) also recently selected YAU and the Seventh Judicial Circuit Family Court to receive funding under their Operational and Project Support grant programs. This funding will help support operational costs and support the production, presentation and creation of art.
For more information, please contact Shelley Spivack at youtharts.unlocked@gmail.com or at 810-938-7840
