Mar
New Orleans Artists go YA/YA
Posted under Features, |
Young New Orleans Artists Make You Want to Go YA/YA
By Blythe Landry
As a native to New Orleans, I think I've earned the privilege to say that Mardi Gras (and all its debauchery, creativity and allure) aside, the arts and culture scene is at the root of the city's reputation. Additionally, a focus on social justice also permeates the more liberal-ended half of the French Quarter's narrow streets.
Young Aspirations/Young Artists (YA/YA), which strives to educate and promote New Orleans artists between 14 and 24, has become a staple in the arts community of New Orleans since its inception in 1988. YA/YA not only seeks to train its in-residence artists, but serves the larger metro community as well. I recall taking students there in 1996 for a mini training and promotional on how to get involved and tap into their creative talents.
In good folk art, in New Orleans form, YA/YA promotes an eclecticism to visual art that includes specialties such as Artpentry (funky, for sale furniture with a face, a color, and attitude), Inner-City Threads (quilting, screen printing, hand and machine sewing, etc. in order to create wearable, or functional art) and Print YA/YA.
Unlike some social service agencies with creative underpinnings, however, YA/YA also emphasized the real-world necessity of entrepreneurial skills in order to advocate for oneself and to establish a thriving practice. Business and financial training is also a component of this work. In other words, YA/YA is giving realistic success-options to kids' and young adults' dreams.
The YA/YA studio gallery, located in New Orleans's Marigny/Bywater neighborhood (downtown in the Ninth Ward), provides inner-city children and young adults the ability to apprentice with successful New Orleans artists and to learn not only technical skills in the visual arts, but facilitate them in the goal of creating public artwork, cultural expression, and even work in arts program management. YA/YA artists receive 50-80% of proceeds from art sales, while the rest go back into the non-profit. These artists are trained so that they may also mentor other young artists someday.
YA/YA is a program that fosters learning so that it may become an empowering and domino effect in the community, as well as nationally.
This non-profit signifies not only the rich artistic and culturally diverse community so integral to New Orleans' inherent élan, but, also epitomizes the vibrancy, color and life that will emerge through a tenacious post-Katrina energy. YA/YA offers a foundation in artistic skill, marketing, and entrepreneurship, whilst relying on the foundational talent and innovation of each of the incoming artists.
Unfortunately YA/YA lost their gallery space during Hurricane Katrina, but in true YA/YA form Managing Director, Stella Baty Landis, has worked to create YA Spots throughout the city of New Orleans, where artists showcase their work. Both she and Creative Director, Rondell Crier, hope to expand the contagious energy that YA/YA permeates throughout the city. Their goal, along with their board of directors is to promote YA/YA Spots in venues throughout the country. I am working with her here in Chicago, but don't be afraid to give her a buzz at 504-529-3306 (YA/YA office) or baty@yayainc.com.
