Artward Initiative 501 (c) (3) non-profit: Love My Neighbor 2 Recover

One of the grossly overlooked problems of today is the devastating impact of the COVID-19 emergency on our inner cities. There is virtually no attention to this gaping problem at the moment. We see it first hand with our Love My Neighbor project and the Artward! Gallery at the long neglected and marginalized "Scottsdale" community of Carson, California. Unemployment is rampant. Violence and gang activisation is up. As we see the emerging need we once again pivot our program, now to support and encourage the community recovery. To do our part and to help community lift its spirit we are launching the Love My Neighbor 2 Recover Kids Art Contest in "Scottsdale". We are able to do it tanks to a super timely and generous support from Bank of America Foundation. We love working with the awesome community outreach Better Money Habits program from BoA who for years gave us their super dedicated volunteers for many of our pre - Covid events.

Here is the flier that we plan to deliver to all 600 units in the community.

With ART We Persevere

Summary of Core Organizational Programs and Services

Artward Initiative, a 501 c(3) non profit organization, organizes and conducts cultural and educational projects, public art and social action programs in underserved communities of color that promote cultural diversity and encourage greater understanding among different cultures. Programs are centered around enhancement of community’s quality of life through art, cultural and educational projects. We are focused on public arts education initiatives that contribute to the positive development of underserved young people and young people at risk.

We received grants from Library of Congress Open World Project. Received a grant from the Levitt Foundation to promote classical music through public spaces for everyone to experience the performing arts. Organized and promoted free classical music concerts that reached out to people of all ages and backgrounds, to ensure classical music is accessible to all through high quality, free concerts to strengthen the community and social interaction, the culturally engaged projects that changed the perception of the community through art such as Carson based "Classical Underground". In the last five years we conduct "Love My Neighbor" public art projects in the disadvantaged community of color - "Scottsdale" neighborhood of Carson where we established a non-profit Artward! Gallery "Scottsdale." Provided free art consultations to youth at risk as part of Gang Diversion program. Provided local community with free art education programs. Our focus is art as tool of community turn-around.

In 2017 and 2018 we have received grants from the Wells Fargo Foundation. In 2018 we have received prestigious Cultural Pathways Grant from the California Arts Council to increase the reach of our community outreach projects in the City of Carson. In 2019 we have received grant from the Bank of America Foundation and organized a number of events together with their Better Money Habits team.

For its community building impact, our program, Love My Neighbor Public Art Project in the Scottsdale Neighborhood of Carson, has been authoritatively recognized as a prestigious 2019 California Park & Recreation Society (CPRS) Award of Excellence recipient in the important Creating Community Award of Excellence category.

Over the last years we worked with well recognized community leaders / organizations: City of Carson City Hall, Bank of America Better Money Habits, Mission EbenEzer Community Art Center, the Bridges International Learning Center & International Institute of Tolerance. We presented our programs at the large public events including the LA's iconic Taste of Soul, the City of Carson public events Earth Day, Black History Month, Backpack Giveaway, Hispanic Heritage Day, Community Friendship Day.

Love My Neighbor 2 Recover - Launching The New Program

Pages