Hudson County Arts Immersion Program
An Educational Arts Team and the Office of Disability Services, Hudson County Department of Health & Human Services collaboration project since 2016.
We give young people experiences in new art mediums and fosters a sense of accomplishment. Our goal is to develop a lifelong appreciation of the arts, enriching the lives of the participants by introducing them to various art forms and cultural institutions.
The purpose of this program is uniting individuals through artistic expression while building skill development and relationships.
The program fosters feelings of personal and communal accomplishment, increases comfort with learning a new art medium or skill, and develops a life-long appreciation and engagement with the arts community.
The Hudson County Arts Program's Mission
We Believe
in the power of the arts to help young people realize academic success, increase self-worth, and create a vision of a positive future.
We Provide
fun and engaging activities in which participants explore artistic expression through visual arts, creative movement
and yoga.
We Embrace
people of all abilities at sites throughout Hudson County identified by the Hudson County Office of Disability Services.
We Value
wellness,
self-expression,
skills building,
and socialization.
We Create
a space that ensures a healthy safe environment for all students.
The Program Overview
There are four cycles, each consisting of nine classes, grouped by age at four community sites throughout the county.
Each site meets up to two days a week for a maximum of two hours. The sites also take part in two arts related field trips to the Newark Museum and the Mana Contemporary.
The visual art activities include simple artistry (pencil, marker, etc.), pastels and water colors, quick dry clay creations, and 3-D collaging. They also work on large-scale collaborative projects such as a group mandala to improve dexterity, creativity and confidence.
Movement activities and yoga include beginning exercises with a focus on breathing, postures, and movement to increase relaxation, body awareness, and improved flexibility. Both the art and movement strategies develop participants’ social skills.