The Art and Children Project

Teaching the next generation to be creative problem solvers and community leaders is at the heart of The Art and Children Project. Each year, the program selects a different site within Nogales as its "classroom." In 2004, the location was rural San Pedro Soteapan, high in the mountains of Tuxtlas.

The project employs the artistic process to awaken young people's aesthetic, intellectual, and emotional sensibilities. Interweaving a range of disciplines, including literature, visual arts, dance, music, and theater, instructors teach participants about the indigenous cultural traditions and customs. Since the site changes each year, the project also helps in the development of local neighborhoods, bridging the distances between towns.

Drawing on the community's rich cultural traditions in music, dance, storytelling, and crafts, workshops introduce children ages 8ñ11 to numerous art forms. Adult artists and community leaders involved in cultural preservation teach classes in painting, photography, poetry, playwriting, puppetry, instrumental music, and opera.

Students begin by learning how to play and interact positively with one another. The project also teaches organizational and research skills, while giving participants the freedom to interact with their social and natural environments in new ways. By capitalizing on the youngsters' innate curiosity, without imposing restrictions on their artistic approaches, students are free to follow their instincts and concentrate on the creative process, rather than the product. Understanding that emotional and psychological distress can affect young people's creativity, instructors sensitively incorporate dialogue a bout the students' lives into the workshop process.

The Art and Children Project now serves as a model across Mexico. This successful concept has been replicated in numerous communities, inspiring others to combine arts education with cultural preservation. The students of The Art and Children Project incorporate life experiences, along with a newfound understanding of their own history and cultural traditions, to produce high-quality artwork that has been recognized locally, regionally, and nationally. In the process, they have learned much a bout their creative potential, their cultural heritage, and their responsibilities as the future leaders of their communities.