Arts & Video Festival, 2008

More than 100 people attended the 2008 Arts & Video Festival held at the Palette and Chisel, 1012 N. Dearborn Chicago IL 60610 on Friday, Feb. 8. More than 40 pieces of art created by Cabrini Connections' students and donated by arts volunteers were shown and sold. Click here to meet the student artists and learn more about the art club.



The Art Club and the Video Group are part of the extra learning and enrichment offered to students who participate regularly in the one-on-one tutor/mentor sessions held every Wednesday and Thursday during the school year. While volunteers help organize the weekly tutor/mentor session, different volunteers organize and lead the arts and video and technology groups, which usually meet on a Monday or Tuesday afternoon or evening.



In addition to the showing of student art, this was the world premier of the video documentary, Cabrini Green:Times of CHAnge, that Cabrini Connections teens and volunteers have been working on since 2005. The documentary tells the story of gentrification in Cabrini Green and gives students a chance to learn team skills, and film creation and communications skills, while working on a long-term project like this. In the photo at the right, one of the students working on the project, Kenneth C., was showing his enthusiasm and telling me how he was so proud of being part of the project and how he intended to show it to people where he works.



Two other students who worked on this project, Kevin S. and Jonathan S., were asked questions by the audience. One was what do you intended to do with this? Kevin answered, "Show it to the world."

You can still see the art if you go to the Palette and Chisel, 1012 N. Dearborn Chicago IL 60610, this weekend. And you can order copies of the video ($20 each, which includes mailing/$10 if you pick up copies at Cabrini Connections). Just email tutormentor2@earthlink.net.

These projects are organized by volunteers, but made possible because donors provide money for equipment, space, and the staff who support the Cabrini Connections year-round schedule of activities. If you'd like to volunteer with IYP, Arts or Tech clubs, or make a donation, just contact us at tutormentor2@earthlink.net or call 312-492-9614.

Congratulations to the arts and video club volunteers who did all of the work in organizing the festival, and who work with the students each week to help them have brighter futures.