What is Mess up to?

Mess Arts has been full of growth and exciting developments, and we’re thrilled to share what we’ve been working on with your help. From expanding our programming and increasing accessibility to fostering creativity and community through new initiatives, we’re building something truly special together! Here are some of the highlights. 

First Kids Art Market: We hosted our inaugural Kids Art Market, Underwater Taco Cat, a vibrant event showcasing the creativity of our youngest community members. Curated by Harper (8) and Clara (11), the market empowered kids to take leadership roles in the arts, highlighting their voices and ideas in a playful and imaginative way.

Exhibition Success: Mess Arts presented InnerWorld at The Front Gallery, a thought-provoking show that explored themes of identity and self-expression. This exhibition was a major success, receiving critical acclaim and earning a feature in Frieze Magazine, spotlighting the impactful work of our organization and community.

Expanded Summer Camp: Our summer camp program grew significantly this year, welcoming over 80 young artists. With diverse weekly themes and activities like artist talks, collaborative projects, and material exploration, we created an inclusive space that balances rigor and play, ensuring every child felt supported and inspired.

Single-Parent Scholarship Fund: In our ongoing commitment to accessibility and equity, we launched a scholarship fund specifically for single parents. This initiative helps ensure that families of all structures and backgrounds can participate in our programming, reducing financial barriers to creative education. We have officially funded five full year scholarships and cannot wait to fund more with your help. 

Community Engagement: Mess Arts continued to provide open studio space, offering a welcoming environment for artists and community members to connect and create. This ongoing effort supports our mission to foster collaboration, self-expression, and a sense of belonging within our vibrant artistic community.  We strengthened our community impact by collaborating with organizations like Longue Vue Gardens to host our Queer Arts Fest. This event provided an intentional, safe, and celebratory space for exploring gender, queerness, and identity through playful art-making and meaningful community connection. 

We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without our generous supporters and community partners

 

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