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Youth Arts investments announced

We’re thrilled to announce our 2013-14 Youth Arts awards, which offer arts training outside of school hours for Seattle’s middle- and high-schoolers. For the Sept. 2013 – Sept. 2014 period, the Office of Arts & Culture will invest $176,715 in 32 programs.

2012-13 Youth Arts awardee Hengda Dance Academy dancers in Han Ethnic Dance 'Snowflakes'.  Choreographed by Hengda Li. Photo: Gary Gao

2012-13 Youth Arts awardee Hengda Dance Academy dancers in Han Ethnic Dance ‘Snowflakes’. Choreographed by Hengda Li. Photo: Gary Gao

Projects vary across media and are located throughout Seattle neighborhoods. Yesler Rec-Tech will work with 18 youth to produce an archival work about Yesler Terrace neighborhood through digital photography and video sessions taught by five artists and scholars. There will be a public screening and exhibit following the production of their work. Jazz Night School will offer introductory and intermediate improvisational and ensemble jazz classes to 25 teen girls over the summer, to be followed by a public concert with the students and their Jazz Big Sisters. 826 Seattle will provide three artists to guide ten Spanish-speaking teens through essay, memoir and college essay writing, as well as audio production and photography. Lauren Marshall, a theatre specialist, will encourage communications skill development for eight youth with Asperger syndrome, autism or ADHD through theater games, scripting and improvisation.

Youth Arts offers awards up to $10,000 annually  to programs in which experienced teaching artists lead training programs in all arts disciplines throughout the city, with priority placed on serving youth and communities with limited or no access to the arts. It’s estimated the 2013-14 funded projects will engage more than 5,400 youth in about 18,300 hours of arts training.

Congrats to all awardees!