Art in Action

Our Mission:

Art in Action empowers youth leaders by engaging arts for social change through personal, social, political, and cultural education. We work collectively with youth from diverse historically disenfranchised communities impacted by violence through programs in music, media arts, spoken word/poetry, dance/theater, storytelling, and painting.

What We Are Up To! (Programs)

To purchase your tickets, please contact Alli Starr: alli@artinactionworld.org

Annual Summer Leadership Camps

Since 2001, we have been convening groups of 25 young people for a 5 to 10 day overnight experience. Workshops include, “Linking the Issues,” in which youth connect local concerns with global issues. Participants choose from core groups: dance/theater; spoken word/music; and visual or media arts/digital storytelling. Each camp closes with a public performance that speaks to the critical issues of our time.

Dig This Story! Digital Storytelling (year-round)

The Dig This Story Digital Storytelling Program gives participants an opportunity to produce a short movie illustrating their own story. Over two to four days, participants write a narrative of their story, record a voice-over, and weave images and photographs to create a personal story. Read More...

“Turf Unity” Music Program (year-round)

The Turf Unity project continues to emerge as response to youth demands from historically disadvantaged communities who want training and resources to produce music that confronts root causes of violence while also exploring specific ways violence afflicts our neighborhoods. Read More...

Green Media Arts Center:

Due to the overwhelming response to our Turf Unity Music programming and Digital Storytelling year-round programming, as well as our yearly leadership camps, Art in Action has been asked by community members to create a media arts space that could fully operate as a community organizing and leadership-training facility in Oakland. Read More...

Silence the Violence Collaboration (year-round)

In partnership with Silence The Violence, a campaign of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, we are working towards building an urban peace movement in the Bay Area. Together we are promoting alternatives to violence for young people, developing youth leadership opportunities, and building community through collective art making and performance.

For more information, please visit www.BayAreaSilenceTheViolence.org.

Support Art in Action

Art in Action Update

Each year proves to be an even more extraordinary for us. Find out what we've accomplished!

Accomplishments:

• We have had the honor of working with over a thousand amazing, young leaders!
• In operation since 2000, our multi-racial collective is still going strong.
• We have raised enough money to hire our first part-time Development Director. Several of our graduates are now in leadership roles in the organization!
• Art in Action graduates, who before camp were thinking of dropping out of high school, have been motivated to go on to graduate with flying colors!
• Art in Action youth are getting into colleges, training programs, getting jobs and other opportunities!
• The young men we work with are building healthy relationships and attitudes toward women.
• Many participants have gone on to collaborate with each other to produce art shows, emcee events, record CD’s, and are sharing the power of their voices with their communities!
• In Spring 2008, Art in Action delegates went to Memphis in connection with Green For All’s ‘The Dream Reborn conference in conjunction with the 40-year anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We were able to bring core members and offer scholarships for key youth leaders to join us in performances and facilitating workshops.
• In August 2008, Art in Action offered its first Skills Share Retreat for Adult Organizers. The retreat was structured around music recording, dance, theater, media, and visual arts workshops, but for the purposes of creative collaboration and networking amongst seasoned activists. For more details see Recent Events.
• We offered workshops as part of the Sustainable Living Road Show at the Democratic National Convention.
• In September 2008 we went to Alaska for our first time to work with Alaska Youth for Environmental Action using the Art in Action model. For more details see Recent Events.
• Art in Action members participated in Green For All’s Day of Action on Sept. 27th, 2008.

Many participants have gone on to collaborate with each other to produce art shows, emcee events, record CD’s, and are sharing the power of their voices with their communities! See more in the Gallery.