New Urban Arts
New Urban Arts is a nonprofit arts organization that provides after school arts mentoring and studio space for high school students and emerging artists in Providence, Rhode Island. In 2017, students at New Urban Arts came primarily from four Providence schools: Classical High School, Central High School, the Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center, and Providence Career and Technical Academy. The organization focuses on helping students develop a life-long creative practice, a summer arts inquiry program, and a leadership program that allows student participants to drive the direction of the organization. Each year, New Urban Arts serve 700 high school students, 25 emerging artists, and 2,000 visitors to the studio.
History
Originally called "Project New Urban Arts," the organization was founded in October 1997 by four college students and ten high school students from Brown University, the Rhode Island School of Design, Central High School,, and Hope High School. In 1998, Tyler Denmead was awarded a prestigious Echoing Green Fellowship to launch New Urban Arts as a nonprofit, and he became the first executive director.New Urban Arts began in a loft above Grace Church in downtown Providence, Rhode Island and then moved to 743 Westminster Street in Providence in 1998. In 2011, New Urban Arts announced a capital campaign and purchased, renovated, and moved to its current space at 705 Westminster Street. In 2016, with support from the, New Urban Arts renovated 705 Westminster Street, adding space and accessibility for a total of 6,000 square feet.
People
Notable alumni, staff, and former staff members of New Urban Arts include:- Animator Monty Oum
- University Lecturer of Arts and Creativity in Education at the Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge,
- Professor and Chair of Art, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Marcus Civin
- Artist and 2019 RISD Museum Fellow
- Musician and member of band Javelin
- Singer, songwriter, and poet Jamila Woods
- Downtown Boys, punk band
- Rhode Island community advocate, Marvin Ronning
- Tyler Denmead, 1998–2007
- , 2007–2008
- , 2008–2012
- , 2013–2014
- , 2015–present
Programs
Central to New Urban Arts is the Youth Mentorship in the Arts program, which pairs adult artists with small groups of students for after school art making. Artist mentors include both volunteers and staff, known as resident artist mentors. New Urban Arts supports volunteer artist mentors through a Professional Development Program and the students through leadership programs, postsecondary advising, and tutoring. Summer programs include paid internships, arts inquiry explorations, an Untitlement program that explores identities, and open studio time. In 2017, New Urban Arts and Central High School began a collaboration called, which includes arts programming at the school. During the COVID-19 pandemic, New Urban Arts arranged for the delivery of arts supplies to students and mentors.Awards
In 2009, New Urban Arts received a Coming Up Taller Award presented by Michelle Obama at the White House. These awards "recognize exemplary arts and humanities programs which foster young people's intellectual and creative development."Another national award came in 2008 when the Rhode Island Department of Education named New Urban Arts a 21st Century Community Learning Center.
The Initiative for Nonprofit Excellence of the and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island awarded New Urban Arts a Best Practices Award in Board Governance in 2013.
, Deputy Director, was named a National Institute on Out-of-School Time Fellow for 2017–2019.