CultureWorks Transformative Arts + Design Academy was conceived by a group of individuals who were passionate about creating a community center for diverse individuals to come together to find hope and inspiration. Our founders recognized the transformative nature of the arts and their innate ability to open up a world where anything is possible. In researching the benefit of arts education, they discovered that arts education levels the playing field across socio-economic boundaries by improving student retention, reducing the achievement gap, and nurturing the imagination. In short, they recognized that high quality art education is not only a path toward personal and professional growth but also a vehicle for social justice and community development. Inspired by the work of Bill Strickland and the Manchester Bidwell Corporation, this group created an arts organization specifically committed to making culturally relevant, transformative art and design experiences accessible to teens from all backgrounds. Compelled by an internal faith that was grounded in the conviction that we are called to not only love our neighbors but to see them thrive, this core group founded CultureWorks Institute for Creative Arts in 2011.
Holland, MI is a hub of innovative design, manufacturing, and the home of furniture & office design giants like Herman Miller and Haworth. In order to better prepare the next generation of leaders for these creative industries CultureWorks sought to provide education that promotes creative thinking and experimentation, while creating opportunities and career pathways for low-income and at-risk teens.
With the investment of key donors, the generous support of GDK Construction Company, and dozens of volunteers, they transformed an abandoned unemployment office into a state-of-the-art studio, digital media lab, and gallery space. While faith inspired, CultureWorks has always functioned independently from any church body. CultureWorks programs are inclusive of all people, regardless of faith or tradition, and its programs are neither church-related nor religious in content.
CultureWorks remains dedicated to making culturally relevant, transformative art and design experiences accessible to teens from all backgrounds. By networking with area school counselors, pastors, art teachers, parents, physicians, and therapists, we target at-risk students who are artistically inclined, but lack access to arts programming, because of mental, physical, or social challenges or geographical, financial, or transportation limitations. We overcome these limitations by offering a pay-what-you-can-afford system, transporting students to and from programming when necessary, and recruiting and training staff and volunteers accordingly. We consistently hear from students, parents, counselors, and teachers that our programs are affordable, welcoming, and accessible to students who rely on artistic expression for their well-being.
Since moving out of our original space in 2017, we have expanded the depth, breadth, and scope of our programming exponentially, while continuing to care for the complex needs of our at-risk students. We recruit and train artists and designers who are able to teach industry-standard skills through lessons designed to engage students, including those with mental, social, and physical needs. We have seen how artistic engagement and expression leads to greater resilience and success as creative individuals and world citizens. CultureWorks
collaborates with over 10 local organizations to provide classes, workshops, and special events throughout the year, thereby reaching a wider audience in our community, and we use these community engagements to further train our Student Advisory Council in leadership and advocacy. By offering a mobile model of programming, we economize resources and increase the depth of instruction, which is tailored to unique spaces and settings.
Since opening our doors in 2011, CultureWorks has impacted over 6,000 students – over 10,000 community members, including adults. Pre-COVID, in FY2018-2019, we served over 1,700 youth and over 500 adults through our after school programs, summer programs, special events, workshops, field trips, and creative college visits. Other than a brief pivot to virtual learning in the spring of 2020, we’ve consistently provided hands-on, in-person programming throughout the pandemic. We host about 50 students per semester in our after school and summer studios, which remain the heart of our organization. In these small classes, which are taught by professional artists and designers and attended by caring mentors, we are able to encourage substantial personal and artistic growth through projects, discussions, critiques, and collaborations.
In 2021 we celebrated 10 years of cultivating creativity, building community, and empowering students through the arts! Our new location in the heart of downtown Holland affords even greater opportunities to invest in the personal and professional development of young artists and designers in our community while engaging our community through workshops and special events.
