ARTsmart
Creating a better tomorrow by inspiring and transforming the lives of our youth through the arts
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
ARTclub
Multiple after-school ARTclub classes will meet for 2 hours at school sites once a week for 6 to 12 weeks. The long-term, sequential format allows instructors to develop strong relationships with students and to delve into challenging projects because students have built a repertoire of skills in previous classes. ARTsmart’s developmentally appropriate lesson format is based on arts education and child development research and our 24 years of experience. Lessons meet New Mexico Core Content Standards for the Visual Arts as well as other Core Content areas. Our six-part methodology includes: Art History, Language, Demonstration, Artmaking, Critique, and Exhibits. There is no charge to the schools or students to attend ARTclub.
ARTreach
A weekly program serves Kindergarten through sixth-grade students in elementary schools in Santa Fe and Espanola. Hands-on arts training takes place throughout the school year, meeting developments needs of specific age goals and reinforcing each school's academic goals.
Where we work
External reviews
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Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
ARTsmart's goal is to provide long-term, sequential classes that allow our highly-qualified art instructors to develop strong rapport with students and to delve into challenging and ongoing projects. ARTsmart meets with each classroom, in school or in our ARTsmart Community Studio, for 1.5 or 2 hours periods, once weekly, for a duration of 6-12 weeks.
Students build a repertoire of skills in previous classes further increasing their self-confidence and perseverance. ARTsmart's developmentally appropriate lesson format is based on art education & child development research, as well as, our 24 years of experience in the Santa Fe and Northern New Mexico Public Schools. Lessons meet New Mexico Core Content Standards for the Visual Arts as well as other Core Content areas. Our six-part methodology includes:
1. Art History: Through verbal discussion & visual examples of art history, ARTsmart highlights the students' cultural diversity & instills a sense of identity & pride while opening up young minds to other traditions.
2. Language: Art vocabulary words are displayed, explained, & used to initiate brainstorming. Throughout the class, students refer to these words & use them to talk about their projects by using both English & Spanish vocabulary.
3. Demonstration: new techniques, processes, & materials are introduced & motivate students to experiment with their own ideas.
4. Artmaking: Hands-on experience gives students time to experiment with new materials & techniques. Young artists may access a variety of superior materials & ambitious projects requiring advanced techniques.
5. Critique: Students will: share positive feedback with peers about their own & others' work; learn how to articulate ideas; present a project to their classmates with pride: & make respectful, positive observations.
6. Exhibits: ARTsmart displays student work at program sites, local businesses & galleries. Exhibits build self-confidence in young artists & educate the public of the importance of outreach programs to underserved youth.
ARTsmart classes provide a problem-solving environment, allowing students to identify possibilities, learn new skills, and see themselves and their world in new ways. Their individual ideas and choices are affirmed, while good behavior and values are encouraged.
ARTsmart distinguishes itself from other educational services by the high level of staff professionalism. Staff sees to program details, enabling teachers to focus on creating meaningful student learning experiences. They're trained art educators bringing creativity, extensive teaching experience, and profound commitment.
ARTsmart is the only visual arts after school provider at the schools in Santa Fe. Administrators approach ARTsmart to provide art classes for the schools. Each school has become an important program partner, and we have become an integral part of the Northern New Mexico community.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
ARTsmart moved into a new building in July of 2016, so that we could expand our reach and programming to better meet the needs of the Santa Fe community youth and their families. Transportation to our new location is more accessible for some of our families that have a greater economic need. There is ample parking at our new location. In addition, ARTsmart continually writes federal and foundation grants throughout the year, creates lasting relationships with foundations and donors, soliciting funds for our programs, holds engaging fundraisers throughout the year in Santa Fe, and partners with other organizations to expand our reach and increase our diverse programming. ARTsmart strives to go 5% beyond what we did the previous year, continuing our current programming and expanding programming to more schools and more classrooms in schools we already serve.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
ARTsmart has diverse funding sources. We receive grants from family foundations, government sources, individual donors and corporate donors. ARTsmart receives donations of quality art supplies from individuals and businesses in Santa Fe. We also have wonderful volunteers that help in our office, with our school programs and with our fundraisers. ARTsmart also has three endowments that provide funds each year for us to use. ARTsmart has reliable and qualified art instructors that we can depended upon to get our programs out into the community.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
ARTsmart needed to grow and expand, and we accomplished this by moving into our new building in July of 2016. We can now increase our ARTcamps located in our space. We can enroll more children at one time providing more programming to the underserved community. ARTsmart is in the second year of a five-year capital campaign to help us recoup the costs of the building.
In our new space, we would love to create an outdoor play area, allowing for an outside break between our art classes. ARTsmart is working towards building an outdoor play area, providing a safe space for children at our ARTsmart Community Studio. According to a variety of studies, 20 minutes of outside time has a greater affect on children with ADHD than medication. Outside time increases emotional, social and cognitive functioning, helping children to regulate their emotions, make plans and solve problems. This playground would greatly benefit our young artists; providing a safe, engaging outdoor space.
We would also love to build a ceramic studio that supports art education for children on the Southside and in the wider Santa Fe area. Also, it could provide a community ceramic learning space or even a potential collaborative space with the community and our families. We have the designated building space and would add the necessary components such as kiln-safe outlets, ventilation, and a variety of clay and glass tools to create a fully functioning ceramic studio. We have pottery and a glass kiln and two potter's wheels to complete the project.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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ARTsmart
Board of directorsas of 07/08/2019
Patrick Gendron
Rikoon Group
Bill Baker
Speed To Excellence
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes