Engaging and empowering underrepresented youth in art and design.
We’re thrilled to launch a new Visiting Artist Series this year, with funding from Holland Young Professionals, Michael and Kim Mulder, Michigan Arts and Culture Council and key sponsor, MillerKnoll Foundation!
Our Visiting Artist Series will expand on successful programs piloted in 2023, and will feature an Artist in Residency program, Career Exploration Panels, and a Visiting Artist. This free, public series will celebrate, engage, and equip traditionally underrepresented communities in the art and design sectors by elevating the work of successful BIPOC professionals and connecting our students to creative mentors who represent similar identities, perspectives, and experiences.
We’ll kick off this series with a 3-day educational field trip to Chicago, where we’ll meet with our inaugural Visiting Artist, Salvador Jiménez-Flores, and participate in Grabadolandia, a printmaking festival hosted at the National Museum of Mexican Art. Jiménez-Flores will join us in Holland next September for several free workshops and community outreach events!
The Visiting Artist Series addresses a key issue identified by students and their families: the difficulty of envisioning careers in the arts as viable future paths. The Visiting Artist component will feature a Latinx artist, Salvador Jiménez-Flores, whose work is deeply rooted in community connections, and will facilitate on-site experiences with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Instituto Grafico De Chicago, where he is active.
The Artist in Residency program will provide students with the opportunity to engage with a local artist dedicated to pursuing a career in art, Jaer Medina. This initiative will strengthen our connections with the broader community, including institutions such as the Holland Museum and LAUP.
The Career Exploration Series will expose students and their families to a diverse range of artistic careers by connecting them with professionals from various backgrounds and fields. Panels will highlight career paths such as graphic design, illustration, photography, product design, engineering design, costume/set design, and textile design. By interacting with these professionals, students will gain insight into the breadth of career opportunities in the arts and may find role models who share similar racial, ethnic, or socio-economic backgrounds.
Please join us in thanking MillerKnoll Foundation, Holland Young Professionals, Michael and Kim Mulder, and the Michigan Arts and Culture Council for making these programs possible!
