Arts Empowerment Project

The heart pack outreach program provides art care packages to at-risk youth delivered to their homes. Heart packs contain age appropriae art supplies, educational games, comfort and creative toys, snacks, gift cards, and a message of hope. Heart packs give the opportunity to explore creative outlets and positive self expression, crucial to youth who cannot join TAEP's in-person programs. Schools, businesses and individuals collect supplies and assemble heart packs, involving the broader community in TAEP's work.

In our inaugural pivot to virtual programming, TAEP partnered with 9189 creative services to present our first encounters series to youth from youth and family services' independent living program. Teens participated in six workshops with local artists, entreprenuers, motivational speakers, and community members, who shared their thoughts about remaining resilient, exploring personal and professional branding and life skills, and engaging in positive self-expression. Highlight: Charlotte's BLM muralists joined our classes to discuss art and activism amid the summer protests over police brutality and racial injustice in the U.S.

Promoting peace + justice classes bring teens at-risk for court involvement together with members of local law enforcement to help break down stereotypes and explore implicit bias and social justice issues through collabortive art. Our team members, teaching artists, and guest speakers from a wide range of disciplines help provide a safe space for officers and teens to engage in honest discussions about community and racially motivated violence, and other challenging topics.