Innovative Programs

‘pARTners’ 2006 – ABCD in action

The purpose of pARTners, our Asset Based Community Development Art initiative, was to provide a venue for the creation of art by recognized street artists, as well as provide some resources for marketing their work. The long range goal was to create a co-operative system which will benefit street artists, support workers (gleaned from the street population) as well as the greater Ottawa community.

There are limited opportunities for street artists to create and market their work for various reasons: mental illnesses, addictions and trauma, to name a few. In addition to this, materials are not available: for example, it is common for a street artist to use a pencil found on the street and a piece of chipboard or marble for materials. Nonetheless, the art that is produced by this marginalized group is not only of a high caliber, but needs to be a recognized component of the art community as well as a component of our society.

The program was successful! In a six month period (which expanded to eight months because the artists paid an agreed fee back to the program), fourteen artists created and sold almost $14,000 worth of art, paid their own expenses, and began to experience what it means to be a part of a larger community. In addition to this overwhelming financial success, two artists were able to obtain housing (one person had been sleeping under a bridge, and the other in and out of the shelter system), and another artist entered a program for drug rehabilitation (he is currently helping us at our drop-in as part of our Work Skills program).

In addition to achieving these successes, there were the intangibles such as: Learning what it is like to belong to a community; discovering that others can have positive input; building self-esteem and self-worth; and, having a renewed sense of hope.