Located in a neighborhood with several public housing developments, the Baltimore City Life Museums (BCLM) initiated arts programs to provide area youth with opportunities to learn new skills and to build stronger relationships with city residents. Last summer, in the BCLM's Jonestown Community Photo Documentation Project and the Neighborhood Kids Mural Project, youth worked with professional artists to create interpretations of their neighborhood through photography and murals. They also learned practical skills, such as reading, writing, working as part of a team and goal setting. These Projects took place 3 days a week and included field trips to cultural institutions and relevant points of interest in the city. "The programs elicited a wonderful response from the neighborhood as evidenced by the large turnout for the final celebration of the Mural Project," reports Curator of Objects Victoria Hawkins. "It drew one of the greatest audiences to the Museums ever. The programs and community response to them show the kids they have something to give; setting goals and seeing projects through to completion is helping build self-confidence." Youth have been encouraged to stay involved by participating in the development of the upcoming inaugural exhibition of the new Community Gallery. Children will help select photos from their work and write autobiographies and brief labels. "I can not emphasize strongly enough," says Hawkins, "that what children need is a sustained effort; programs which endure from year to year, season to season."