The mission statement for Free Arts NYC reads as follows: Free Arts NYC provides underserved children and families with a unique combination of educational arts and mentoring programs that help them to foster the self-confidence and resiliency needed to realize their fullest potential.

Well, that’s all well and good, but it’s not until you see the actual children and their parents/caregivers speak about the effect the program has had on their lives, that you really grasp what an influence Free Arts has.  The chances it bestows.  The previously untapped wells of creativity it finds.

Growing-up on New York’s Upper East Side, I was hardly what one would describe as “at-risk” (unless the risk was that the driver didn’t have time to drive us the “long way” to school, so we could watch Tom & Jerry in the backseat).  And even so, our folks had us doing some sort of extracurricular activity every day, whether it was arts & crafts, or piano lessons, or (loathe as I am to admit it) sports.  And this was on top of the private-school education where these programs existed, to the extent they were virtually forced down our throats.  Boy, were we ungrateful.

But now, all across the country, these programs have been slowly cut from even the most robust public school systems.  So, in a city like New York, where many potential hoodlums might be creative diamonds in the rough, if only given the attention and mentoring they need to find their own inner photographer, or graphic designer, or jeweler, or painter, or what have you – well, it really becomes less a question of why, so much as one of how.

Of all of the non-profits that my family supports, this is one of those I am most proud with which to be affiliated.

In Part 2, read all about the recent success of the 17^th Annual Free Arts NYC Art Auction Benefit honoring Richard Phillips.  Until then, keep supporting the arts – because you never know where the next Jean-Michel Basquiat or Bill Cunningham is growing-up.  Maybe she’s right next door, and maybe he’s running a 3-card Monty game, outside of Penn Station.  There, but for the grace of Free Arts, go they.

Free Arts NYC
Click HERE for info

Get into it!