ARTS collaborated with the Juvenile Court & Community School to bring the joys of art into the East Mesa Detention Facility in Otay Mesa. This project seeks to teach the young inmates in the facility mural painting and teamwork skills while making their surroundings a more positive and colorful environment. Artist-In-Residence Rob Tobin worked with two to three teens a week from the Youth Offender Unit on a series of landscape murals to beautify the visiting room. About 14 kids participated in this mural project, and ARTS is working to make this a future ongoing project for the inmates. ARTS hopes that creating this wonderful piece of artwork will develop and encourage a sense of community and pride among these troubled youth. In addition, it will not only provide them with a constructive diversion during their time in the facility, it will also introduce them to art as a positive influence in their lives.

ARTS was asked by the San Diego Airport to be one of its four community partners to exhibit original artwork in its terminals. Several of ARTS’ youth artists created artwork which will be shown for a limited time in Terminal 2 of the San Diego Airport.

This August, Artist-In-Residence Rob Tobin spent a fun-filled week at O'Farrell Community Day School in southeast San Diego transforming an unsightly storage container into an inspirational work of art. Working with the kids three hours a day, for five days, Rob was able to show them how to take the project from design all the way to completion. ARTS partnered with SAY San Diego FSS, a group that counsels these children and families whose lives have been affected by crime and violence. These talented kids learned design, painting, and teamwork skills while creating something the whole school and neighborhood can be proud of. The completed mural was even celebrated with a cookout and ice cream social!

ARTS provided a fun art activity for the children at the Cinco de Mayo con Orgulla Festival in City Heights.

ARTS recently continued our community partnership with Ross Elementary by creating a beautiful mural on the school's campus. ARTS staff members Rob Tobin and Adriana Escobar were joined by art students from USD to design and paint this wonderful scene.

ARTS partnered with the Excel Youth Zone, High Tech Middle School, and Ross Elementary School to create a “Service Learning Mural Project” on the campus of Ross Elementary.

Following the devastating firestorms throughout San Diego County, ARTS staff and volunteers provided free art activities and face painting at Mira Mesa High School for the children of evacuated families.

Dozens of children from the Miramar Youth & Teen Center attended sessions at the ARTS Center throughout the summer. These children of military families worked with artists Rob Tobin and Kat Kirby to create a beautiful mosaic table and bench set with the image of children holding hands around the world.

Artist-in-Residence Rob Tobin partnered with artist Cheryl Price of the San Diego Jewish Academy to create a “Tree of Life.” This 28 foot tall installation is part of an on-going memorial in remembrance of the children who died in the Holocaust. Children from around the world, including ARTS kids, have been making ceramic butterflies that are part of the project and will cover the walls of SDJA.

Artist, Mary Rondeau worked on this great mural with a group of children at MCAS Miramar.

Created: June - August 2003
Supervising Artist: Rob Tobin
Volunteer Hours: 157
Location: MCAS (Marine Corp Air Station) Miramar Youth and Teen Center
Sponsored By: La Jolla/Golden Triangle Rotary Club & Bradley Landscape

Purpose:

• Provide military children a positive outlet of expression during this particularly difficult time
• Teach the children about "community, unity, teamwork, and diversity" through artwork
• Build children's self-esteem and self-confidence
• Beautify the outside of the Youth and Teen Center
• Teach the children various artistic and design techniques
• Teach them about the creative process from beginning to end

Result:
Over 120 children participated in this project during the summer while attending "Camp Freedom". The children helped design the project, prepare all the materials and then create all the artwork involved with the project. Children worked with various materials including cement, paint, tile, wood, clay, glue and grout. They first painted cement stepping stones with images of teamwork, diversity, unity, and community. They then created two mosaic benches - one with images of the San Diego community and one of the Earth (world community). Around the bases of each bench were clay people representing various cultures holding hands, forming the foundation and "supporting" the communities. There was an official unveiling in which all the community was invited to attend. The children were extremely proud to show off what they had created for people to see in the years to come.

Created: September 2001 - September 2002
Supervising Artist: Matt D'Arrigo
Volunteer Hours: 552
Location: Children's organizations and schools throughout the country
Purpose: The Children's Quilt was inspired by the tragic events of 9/11/01. ARTS provided children with 1' x 1' squares of fabric and asked them to create images of what "peace, love, or hope" meant to them.

The purpose was to:

• Give children a positive, creative outlet to express themselves about the events
• Enable the children to feel they were helping with the healing process
• Use the children's artwork to help those most affected by the events to heal and see the goodness through it all
• Promote world peace, love, and hope as well as the power of children's artwork
• Build children's self-esteem and self-confidence by exhibiting the quilt

Result: Over 6,000 children from 13 states took part in this incredible project creating 60 10' x 10' quilt panels. Sections of the Quilt were displayed at Ground Zero and the Pentagon during the year anniversary ceremonies on 9/11/02. The panel from the Pentagon was put into the National Archives afterwards. 10 panels remained on display in New York for the entire year. Over the year other panels were displayed at numerous events (Including Super Bowl XXXVII) and locations throughout Southern California. Over 17 news outlets including the "Today Show" ran stories on The Children's Quilt!

Testimonials:
"It's remarkable that children 3,000 miles away were thoughtful enough to create these beautiful images and for you to share them with us. They are truly healing, comforting, and inspiring. Thank you for being here today."
-New York Resident viewing the display on 9/11/02

"With the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, your project, I felt, was one of the best activities/projects for youth that I am aware of... I truly believe it helped our kids."
- Keith Boller, Director of After School Programs, North County Lifeline, Inc.

"Just wanted to thank you soooooo much for allowing our kids the opportunity to participate on the quilt project! It has been such a privilege to work with the kids as they colored their squares. It has boosted the self-esteem of many children! I wish you could have seen them as they poured their heart and souls into their work!"
-Tammy Moore, Children's Rehabilitation Service, Alabama Dept. of Rehabilitation Services