Gallery 37
 Gallery 37 artist painting a mural for the Chicago Transit Authority. |
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Photo:
Guy Jacobs
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That offer comes from the announcement for Chicago's Gallery 37, the city's job training program in the arts for youth, which began in 1991 with a summer program for 260 young people held on the city's vacant Block 37. Today, more than 11,000 "apprentice artist" and 1,100 professional "lead artist" jobs later, Gallery 37 is a year-round, multi-part program that includes (1) the original Downtown Program employing 600-650 youth each summer; (2) the Neighborhood Program that employs 800 youth each summer at community centers and parks citywide; (3) the Schools Program employing 1,200 young people in 40 full-year programs in Chicago's public high schools; and (4) the Connections pre-employment program for students in grades 5-8, one-quarter of whom have special needs.
On the job, young people learn not only the value of a paycheck but also the importance of a job and artistic skills that can translate into work in growing career fields, such as graphic design and video production. They learn to meet high expectations and produce serious, legitimate, high-quality work acceptable for sale or installation in public places.
Administered by the City of Chicago and the Arts Matter Foundation, Gallery 37 receives funding from the federal Job Training Partnership Act. With the addition of private funding, Gallery 37 has expanded the practice of this federal youth employment program and increased the scope, quality, and flexibility of its programs. It is able to employ - and bring together - youth from all income levels in a rich, far-reaching learning experience.
Not a program to rest on its laurels‹and there have been many, including its replication in more than 16 U.S. cities as well as London and Adelaide - Gallery 37 has just added a teen literary series featuring readings from Gallery 37's published literary anthology and produced its first CD of music created and recorded by Gallery 37 young people.
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37 Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs Chicago Cultural Center 78 East Washington Street Chicago, IL 60602 Phone: 312-744-7095 Fax: 312-744-9249 E-Mail: Gallery37@aol.com URL: www.gallery37.org Focus: Visual, Literary, and Performing Arts. Number Participating: 3,300 Ages: 14-21 Annual Budget: $3,504,705 "When you tell people they are 'rotten teenagers,' then they act like 'rotten teenagers.' Call them 'apprentice artists,' and you have sculptors and painters and architects and musicians-people who can really make a difference in the world." Megan Brown, Apprentice Artist |