Partnering with Monarch School
On July 14, 2022, a hubbub of noise and laughter filled the halls of Monarch School as students formed an impromptu marching band and played handmade instruments. These “balloon bassoons,” a creation of Space 4 Art’s Sean Francis Conway, were just one of the projects dreamed up by visual and performing artists for this summer’s collaboration between the two organizations.
Monarch School, located in San Diego’s Barrio Logan neighborhood, has been nurturing resilience in unhoused youth and their families for the past 30 years. Monarch empowers students to influence their own growth in the areas of academic success and social emotional learning; and the arts are a key part of the school’s approach. This summer, seven S4A resident artists supplemented the students’ existing arts curriculum with 25 workshops in cyanotypes, sculptures, mask-making, paper marbling, instrument-making, rhythm and drumming, and ink drawing. After a wildly successful summer program, the organizations are looking for ways to extend their collaboration and impact into the 2022-23 school year.
“We are thrilled to work with Space 4 Art on our Creative Youth Development Programs, providing our students with access to diverse artists and meeting our students where they are in the learning continuum,” said Erika Malone, Monarch School Project’s Director of Creative Youth Development. “Partnerships like this are so important to Monarch as they bring new, fresh perspectives to our arts engagement programs.”
Space 4 Art’s Executive Director, Jennifer de Poyen, is equally excited about the burgeoning relationship. “Monarch does uniquely impactful work right in our neighborhood, so this feels like an ideal match for Space 4 Art,” Jennifer said. “We’re an organization that believes art is transformative and can lead to healthy growth in marginalized communities. We’re excited to keep the good work and momentum going into the fall.”
Stay tuned for updates about the Space 4 Art Resident Artists’ work at Monarch throughout the coming school year. Until then, enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at this summer’s creative explorations.
Read the full press release here.
