Colors Outreach is a program of the Spartanburg Art Museum, which gives at-risk youth ages 6–18, the opportunity to experience high-quality art instruction in a safe environment during the critical after-school hours, FREE of charge*.
We use professional-grade materials and professional artists as instructors. Colors gives students a vehicle to express themselves in a healthy manner with caring adults at their side. They are also taught the importance of taking care of their studio space, using supplies with care and working well with others.
Students create art using:
- acrylic and watercolor paint
- colored and graphite pencil
- charcoal
- dry pastels and oil pastels
- printmaking
- clay
- photography
- graphic design computers and software
Colors participants have the opportunity to:
- visit exhibitions held in the Spartanburg Art Museum as well as other galleries offsite.
- paint murals in the community.
- exhibit their artwork publicly on and off site.
- compete in art contests.
- take field trips.
* The museum offers this service for children from lower income families who would otherwise be unable to afford high-level art instruction. Parents/ guardians must complete income forms in order to participate.
support
Colors is a program of the Spartanburg Art Museum, (SAM) a private,
non-profit 501(c)(3)organziation specializing in the visual arts.
If
you would like to make a contribution to the COLORS program,
you may
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CHAPMAN CENTER
AFTER SCHOOL
STUDIO HOURS:
Monday through Thursday: 3:00-6:00pm
at the Chapman Cultural Center,
East Wing, 2nd floor
year-round |
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FALL SCHEDULE for SATELLITE SITES |
TIME |
| Tuesday |
NORTHWEST CENTER
Spartanburg
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3:00 - 5:00pm |
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C.C. WOODSON
Spartanburg |
3:30 - 5:30pm |
| Wednesday |
UPSTATE FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER
Boiling Springs |
3:30 - 5:30pm |
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ABNER CREEK
Duncan |
10:00 - 11:00am |
| Thursday |
MIDDLE TYGER RECREATION CENTER
Duncan |
4:00 - 6:00pm |
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colors mission
Colors' mission is to improve the lives, choices and opportunities available to at-risk youth by providing safe and creative places to be during the critical after-school hours, thereby producing successful, productive members of our community. We do this within a professional studio environment where young talent is developed by giving them the tools to experience the positive power of their own creativity.
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murals
 Painting
murals builds self-esteem for the Colors students by allowing
them to share their talent with the community. The Colors program
has painted several murals for the Spartanburg community:
- Art: My Anti-Drug (for The Health and Human Services Anti-Drug
Campaign) at the Bargain Center Used Car Lot on W.O.
Ezell Blvd.
- on the Convenience Store next to the Spartanburg Housing Authority off ices on Caulder Avenue,
- formerly
on the current Lime Leaf building at the corner of
Church Street and Main Street in downtown Spartanburg,
- on
the Spartanburg City Fire Department's mobile fire house (This miniature house is taken to places all over the community
to teach children about fire safety),
- on
an inside wall of the former Java Jive Coffee House in
downtown Spartanburg, and
- inside
the lobby of the Main Office of Bank of America in downtown
Spartanburg.
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exhibitions
Artwork from the Colors program is exhibited throughout the community
several times during year. The students have
had shows at Windows on Main Street, Hub Bub Showroom, Spartanburg Regional Medical Center's Rainer Gallery, the University
of South Carolina Upstate, Spartanburg City
Hall, and at the Spartanburg
Art Museum. |
successes
"Tears" by Mike Smith |
Our biggest success story is about a young man named Michael Smith who started drawing in the program when he was 9 years old at the housing projects where his aunt lived. In 1998, his only brother, who was also an artist, was murdered in a drive-by shooting. Mike used his art to overcome to the pain he went through. Michael has stated, “I probably would have never started drawing if I hadn’t gone to Colors.” Now 20 years old, he has won the Congressional Art Award which exhibited the winning artwork at the White House for a year (this piece has since been purchased by the Spartanburg Art Museum for its Permanent Collection), served as an instructor for Colors, and is currently attending the Art Institute in Atlanta for Graphic Design. |
recognition
In
addition to a number of newspaper articles, the program has been recognized
in Time Magazine and was featured by FOX network on the national
morning program, FOX After Breakfast. |
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