Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona
Your Voice Matters
Imagine being hurt by those you love the most, by the only people you are able to call family, being left not knowing how to feel and not knowing where to go.
Now imagine experiencing this as a child.
On a lighter note, imagine being that child or teen and finding a colorful place with friendly faces waiting to advocate for you.
(Happy thoughts jar; front desk of Free Arts)
A place where you can express yourself and people not only listen but validate and help direct your feelings. A place where you can make powerful connections with art and other people who can relate to some of what you’ve been through. A place where your voice actually matters.
One on one Interaction
The place I have described is The Free Arts Organization for Abused Children located in Phoenix and the circumstance I opened with is what many of the children and teens who attend the Free Arts program, have been through.
Free Arts of Phoenix was established in 1993 with about 5 therapists working with 60 children. Today their organization serves over 9,000 children with over 900 volunteers.
The organization was started by Margaret Beresford who was a therapist that recognized not only that art was a therapeutic tool for abused children but that the one on one time with a mentor by their side helped them thrive.
Communicating with art
I was able to snag an interview with Neda Tavassoli who is the outreach manager for the Free Arts program.
(Neda Tavassoli with Free Arts HOPE sign)
Neda has a background working as a therapist and is in full belief that art heals because of the experiences she has witnessed. She says, “Art is the best way to communicate with reluctant teens or children who haven’t yet developed adequate communication skills.”
“Art is not just self-expression, the art process is therapeutic itself.” –Neda
Self-efficacy
She went on to tell me that at Free Arts they like to challenge the youth to do things they have never done before “It develops, self-efficacy, the idea that they can accomplish something they have never done before, that they are capable of overcoming new and challenging circumstances.”
The Free Arts organization has four programs that they offer the youth they serve with the help of volunteers. She explained them in order from least time commitment on volunteers’ part to the greatest time commitment.
Free Arts Days
Free arts days is the first program she told me about. On these days (that happen 2-3 times a month) volunteers get partnered up with a child from either a group home, residential treatment center, shelter, or foster home to go to selected cultural organizations (Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona Ballet etc.)
(One of many Volunteers from Free Arts)
The Volunteer goes right along the child; if the child is painting so is their partnered volunteer. This is part of the one on one connections they try to build with the children.
Volunteers can be a part of as many of these events that they choose to whether they only have time for one afternoon a month or feel like taking part in each event offered.
Free Arts also offers three different camps which is the next program Neda told me about.
Art Camps
They offer a leadership camp for one week in the Spring, a multicultural arts camp for 2 weeks during the year (one week for teens, one for younger children), and a theater camp for 2 weeks in the summer.
(Free Arts leadership camp project)
A few years back I attended classes at a local fostering agency, where I met a woman named Loretta who was responsible for my initial introduction to Free Arts and their theater camp.
I have been fortunate to be able to attend the powerful performances put on by these inspiring teens for the last 3 years.
Through this camp the teens are able to share their experiences with other teens who can relate to their abusive pasts.
The teens find ways to express their stories whether it be through poetry, rap, dance, acting, or visual art and then are able to share their masterpieces with a live audience at the Herberger Theater in Phoenix.
(Free Arts theater camp)
A Beautiful Breakthrough
Neda shared with a personal experience she had this summer while working with teens at this camp.
“There was one teen in the group that stood out to me as a bubbly individual who was always goofing around (in a fun matter way),” She went on to explain, “About the third time I interacted with this teen I noticed that they had become withdrawn, and started writing in their notebook as if they were working through something.”
Neda told me that it wasn’t until their dress rehearsal that this youth opened up and shared their story with the group. She said that as this teen broke down their peers surrounded them with literal hands of support on the shoulders of this brave individual.
This young but powerful individual went on the stage that night and shared the abuse they experienced, the negative things that were said to them, and through it all broke down.
I remember this particular performance and the power that arose from it.
See, in these performances when an audience member wants to show support or encouragement to someone on the stage they begin to snap for them.
As this individual broke down on stage the Herberger was filled with the beautiful sound of hundreds of snaps all for this inspiring youth that stood on stage.
Through that encouragement, they pulled themselves together, and not only changed the negative commentary that had been said to them by an abusive person of their past but changed them into positive affirmations of hope and screamed them into the audience, “I am strong! I am capable of love!”
It was a truly beautiful moment to witness as an audience member who was snapping as rapidly as I could for this courageous soul.
(Love and support at Free Arts)
Professional Art Series
Neda also told me about Free Arts’ Professional Art Series which is a program where they contract an artist for 4 to 6 weeks to go to group homes and residential treatment centers to create an extended art project with the youth at these residences.
The final product culminates into an exhibit which have been previously featured at local galleries such as when they were recently able to contract a photographer who worked with young women from these group homes in culmination with the “To be Thirteen” exhibit at a local museum.
These young women were able to express themselves and their stories through mixed media and filmography.
This upcoming September they are working in accordance with Storybook Ballet and will get to present ‘Swan Lake with a Splash’ at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing arts.
Art with Intention
The final program Neda told me that Free Arts offers was the original starting point back in 1993; their weekly mentor program.
This program allows volunteers to travel to 1 of 125 sites that Free Arts work with to create art with youth in group homes. Neda says it’s not just art but, “Art with intention”
She further explains that the art the children create has a meaning that goes along with it and gave the example of creating masks to discuss emotions. In a huge sense these volunteers get to experience and create therapeutic moments with these youth through various art projects.
(Artwork with meaning; Free Arts office)
How to Become a Volunteer
There are a few things required to become a volunteer for any of these programs (which I am about to undergo and will update you on) such as a new volunteer orientation, a training where Neda promises that they keep you fed and caffeinated through, a background check, and obtaining a fingerprint clearance card.
A Change of Mind
One thing that Neda said that I really loved was, “Those who are the most resistant usually flourish the most.”
She says, “Some teens have a hard time opening up or think the program is stupid but then 9/10 of them see the impact it has on their friends and see how cool it is to do art.”
“There are a lot of stories that have to do with resistance on the teen’s part with the outcome of them flourishing.”
She gave a specific example of a past camper named Katie who had been resistant to camp but then flourished to the point of being the assistant camp director this year for the Free Arts Theater camp. (Stay tuned for part two of this article where I sit down with Katie and share her personal story.)
She says they have about 10 to 12 alumni who are now active volunteers with their programs. As I was at their office for this interview, one of the alumni was just leaving after spending the afternoon there just to hang out and create art.
An Office with a Built in Art Room
I asked Neda why she loved working with Free Arts to which she literally sighed happily with the biggest smile on her face and said, “I believe in our core beliefs, art heals, mentoring works, and that every child matters. I’ve seen how amazing (our work) is, a necessary tool in an underserved population. I’m glad to bring something like that to them.”
“There are (16) employees that run this non-profit so we often get pulled to do things that are outside of their job description but what other job lets you go to the art room when you’re stressed out and create a mosaic or something?!”
(Free Arts Program Assistant Kirsten Morelli working on an art project)
Promoting Hope
After our interview Neda gave me a tour of their office where the walls were covered in art and everyone seemed to have a smile on. Even though the employees were busy at work they stopped to say hello to me not even knowing who I was.
This organization promotes so much hope for the youth they work with and even have an open door policy for each of them to come back after graduating the program.
I am in awe of this organization for all that they endure, accomplish, and promote through creative coping.
What a great program. I think we need more just like that. Compassion for our youth. ❤️