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In 1994 the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pennsylvania, opened the Inner-City Neighborhood Art House because they believe that the need for the arts in the lives of the poor is as real as the need for bread.
The Sisters believe the civilizing values of the arts are essential to the development of full human beings and the next generation of good citizens. At the Inner-City Neighborhood Art House, children...
Give a child a paintbrush or a pen, and he's less likely to pick up a needle or a gun. Give a child hope through the arts, and you may save her life. --Jane Alexander, former chair, National Endowment for the Arts Research suggests that children who attend high-quality arts and humanities programs during the hours they are not at home, benefit academically and socially. "What a society does to its children, its children will do to society," wrote a Roman sage. |
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Teenagers who wish to pursue a specific art discipline can attend special evening classes at the Neighborhood Art House. This program is designed for older children who are serious about a particular art form and want in-depth instruction. The program gives teens a chance to gather together for constructive activities in a relaxed, supportive atmosphere under the guidance of professional and caring adult artists. Air Brushing It’s used in beauty salons for fingernails; in auto body shops for custom designing; in ad agencies for copy and photography studios for pictures. IT is air brushing. And at the Neighborhood Art House hands-on-training in airbrush techniques is one of the most popular teen classes. Under the instruction of nationally recognized Erie artist Chuck Dill, students learn the wide use and application of spray technology and the skills needed if they wish to pursue a career in this art form. |
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Hooked on Books This one-on-one reading program recruits adult volunteers to the Neighborhood Art House to read to children every day after school and during the summer. Visit www.hoberie.org. Erie Ophelia Project "STAR and Girl Talk"--Two weekly classes are presented by The Ophelia Project, a national organization founded and headquartered in Erie for the purpose of "Saving the selves of girls by protecting and reconnecting families through awareness, education and advocacy." "Girls Write in the Neighborhood" is a writing/mentoring program of the Inner-City Neighborhood Art House and The Ophelia Project where professional women writers are paired one on one with middle school girls. Lake Erie-Allegheny Earth Force Part of a national youth-led environmental organization, Lake Erie Allegheny Earth Force conducts weekly sessions at the Inner-City Neighborhood Art House. The Neighborhood Art House also partners for projects with Arts Council of Erie Edinboro University Erie Art Museum Erie Playhouse Youtheatre Gannon University Greater Erie Youth Symphony Orchestra Lake Erie Ballet Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Mercyhurst College Penn State Erie, the Behrend College Pfeiffer-Burleigh / School District of the City of Erie and other art, education and civic groups and institutions. |
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1,000,000+ number of books read to Neighborhood Art House children over the years by Hooked on Books volunteers 27 public and private Erie schools represented by children who come to the Neighborhood Art House 30 number of classes in visual, literary and performing arts offered each day at the Neighborhood Art House 630 number of hours each year that an inner-city child is in a safe environment during the high-risk after school hours 13 number of computers donated by Verizon to the Neighborhood Art House to teach computer literacy, art, music and reading 32 number of full-time and part-time teachers and staff at the Neighborhood Art House 600 number of children who attend classes each year at the Neighborhood Art House during its daytime, after school, Saturday and summer programs 2,000 number of volunteers at the Neighborhood Art House in a year $490,000 cost to operate the Neighborhood Art House each year $0 cost to Neighborhood Art House students |
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Come, Bring the Children Stand them on their toes and let them twirl into tomorrow. Say to them, "This is how POSSIBILITY feels." Come, Bring the Children Sneak them into the land of Oz, let them live Where the Wild Things Are. Say to them, "This is how WONDER is born." Come, Bring the Children Jump barefoot in clay until it takes a shape of tiger teeth. Say to them, "This is how CREATIVITY happens." Come, Bring the Children Pour a bucketful of paint on gray sidewalks and empty dreams. Say to them, "This is how HOPE tastes." Come, Bring the Children Toss hundreds of letters in the air and see how they land. Say to them, "This is how IMAGINATION grows." Come, Bring the Children Kneel at the notes of sax, piano, cello, snare drum soul-stretching a star-lit night. Say to them, "This is how BEAUTY saves." —by Mary Lou Kownacki |
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These women of vision bring beauty to life in the hearts of children in the center of the city. Their generosity and leadership make the Inner-City Neighborhood Art House possible. Linda Bebko-Jones Mary Alice Doolin Rebecca Hilbert Audrey Hirt Nancy Kern Mary Lincoln Lynn McBrier Marlene Mosco Jean Craige Pepper Barbara Pollock Denise Illig Robison Patricia Rybak Margaret Stolley Ann Teed Mary Ann Toohey Lyn Twillie-Darby Cheryl Vicary Benedictine Sisters Joan Chittister, OSB,Chair of the Neighborhood Art House Fund Mary Lou Kownacki, OSB, Founder Anne Wambach, OSB, Executive Director Mary Miller, OSB, Emmaus Ministries Christine Vladimiroff, OSB, Prioress |
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Neighbor to Neighbor Newsletter If you would like more information about the Neighborhood Art House, please contact us at: The Inner-City Neighborhood Art House
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