Please join us in welcoming our Arts Mentoring Fellows for the 2012-13 year: Rick Benjamin and Eli Nixon! New Urban Arts awards fellowships annually to two established artists and educators in a yearlong position to: (1) support the team of artists who mentor high school students in our award-winning free out-of-school arts programs; (2) share publicly artwork or ideas about community arts practice reflective of New Urban Arts pedagogy, and (3) work as an artist-in-residence in New Urban Arts’ studio. Executive Director Jason Yoon says,
Rick and Eli are both experienced and talented artists, educators with a long track records of integrating their work as artists and educators towards the purpose of community empowerment, which at our core, is what New Urban Arts is about. Eli and Rick have long relationships and histories with our organization and, as a pair, collectively balance fresh new perspectives that will push us while also bringing a necessary familiarity and affinity for our work. They will help New Urban Arts and the City of Providence continue to be on the cutting edge of helping artists play key roles in community and youth development.
The Arts Mentoring Fellowship program is designed to be rotating, among other reasons, in order to help us stay fresh and passionate and innovative within our mission and values. We are really excited to continue working with our most recent Arts Mentoring Fellows, Kedrin Frias and Emmy Bright, in new and interesting ways.