First Children's Aid Society Boys & Girls Clubs of America Digital Arts Show to Debut in East Harlem

May 18, 2009

Young Artists Explore New Ways to Create Art

Contact:
Ellen Lubell, The Children's Aid Society, (o) 212-949-4938, (c) 917-854-6864
Emily Crossan, The Children’s Aid Society, (o) 917-286-1548, (c) 201-344-5742

When:
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Where:
The Children’s Aid Society East Harlem Center Boys & Girls Club
130 East 101st Street, between Lexington and Park Avenues

What:
Thirty-three children, ages 9 to 18, from East Harlem and Harlem have merged the worlds of art and technology and created unique artwork for display in the first Children’s Aid Society Boys & Girls Clubs Digital Arts Festival.

The young artists have produced photo illustrations, movies, music compositions, and web and graphic designs under the theme of nature.

The students have been developing their technical skills, creativity and critical thinking through digital arts projects as part of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Club Tech program. Participating youth have the opportunity to foster their imaginations and develop skills that will help them succeed academically and expand future career opportunities.

Why:
By 2010, more than 77 percent of all jobs in the United States will require some tech ability. As the knowledge economy continues to evolve, more and more American workers will need higher levels of technology skills training and education to compete successfully in the global economy. The Children’s Aids Society’s Boys & Girls Club’s Club Tech digital arts programs serves as an access point for community youth to gain essential digital literacy skills in a fun and hands-on environment.

Funding for technology and arts programming was provided by Microsoft and for the national Boys & Girls Clubs digital arts festivals by the Best Buy Children’s Foundation.

The Children’s Aid Society (www.childrensaidsociety.org), founded in 1853, is one of the nation’s largest and most innovative non-sectarian agencies, serving 150,000 of New York’s neediest children and their families with a network of services that includes community schools, neighborhood centers, camps, adoption and foster care services, arts programming, teen pregnancy prevention, education, health and recreation. Children’s Aid offers a wide range of programs in the visual and performing arts, including instrumental bands, award-winning choruses, theater, photography, the American Ballet Theatre’s “Make a Ballet” and Children’s Aid/AileyCamp. The Children's Aid Society is a founding member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the vast majority of Children’s Aid sites are Boys & Girls Clubs. For more information, please call 212-949-4938 or e-mail ellenl@childrensaidsociety.org.

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