It was a year of many many firsts, from trash to treasure competitions to STEAM art programs to our first art workshops for adults and teens. And it was another year of growth and development for Mint Artists Guild, one that gave youth opportunities to lead and share their skills with children and other young emerging artists.
This success by the numbers post showcases some of that, but for a richer view of our growth, check out our YouTube and our Instagram and our blog posts.
Here’s our success statistics for 2023:
$41,300 – Record money earned by Mint youth artists in the summer jobs, arts and crafts and other gigs.
1,450 – Children and adults who created arts and crafts or colored with Mint this summer and fall, in many locations including Durfee Innovation Society and the Monroe Street Midway downtown. It was our first year offering crafts at Willow Metropark and Cool Cities Park, shown. This does NOT count children at other Metroparks or at partner events and activities. (Photo: Mint’s Moumita Chawdhury)
500 – Copies of the Huron Clinton Metroparks coloring book created by Mint Artists Guild, plus hundreds more Metroparks Adventures coloring pages by Mint’s Natasha Guest given away through the summer.
65 – Children who participated in our first STEAM art workshops at the Roberto Clemente Recreation Center. Pictured are a few of them admiring their work in an August art show created by Mint. (Photo: Vickie Elmer)
26 – Paint Detroit with Generosity paintings that Mint will donate to local nonprofits, our most diverse group of nonprofits ever. The paintings are on display through late January at TechTown Detroit; TechTown reopens on Jan. 2.
25 – Record number of summer jobs Mint created, in partnership with Grow Detroit’s Young Talent and the Wolverine Pathways internship. Mint starts recruiting for Summer Creative Jobs 2024 in early March.
21 – Creative youth who learned improvisation techniques through Mint and the Detroit Creativity Project this summer.
17 – Adult and youth art workshops Mint led, teaching printing, plein air painting, 3D art and natural art, in partnership with the Huron-Clinton Metroparks
15 – Generosity coloring pages created by youth artists for our upcoming Generous Detroit coloring book, underwritten by the MSU Federal Credit Union Desk Drawer Fund. Some Generosity in Detroit coloring pages already are shared with Brilliant Detroit children – such as the happy boy shown – and other partners.
5 – Creative Calm art therapy free youth-led workshops offered, thanks to a Skillman Foundation grant. Among them was a Metal Health session that gave us our first time using hot poured metal in art.
4 – Artists and Mint summer workers who developed skills in clay and ceramics this year, including two who worked for Art in Motion, a small woman-owned studio in Detroit.
3 – Mint artists who were paid to work with the public – adults and children – on a freedom mural during a Juneteenth celebration at Wayne County Parks.
1 – Emerging artist who led our lithography making training in the Mint Creative Summer Jobs. Plus one emerging filmmaker who worked for us this summer, two-thirds as an artist and the rest as a video storyteller.
Our successes required record amounts of contract staff and art supplies in 2023, so we hope you will be generous and please donate to Mint before yearend. Your gift will assure more children and youth will enjoy art, crafts, coloring and other creative activities with Mint in 2024.
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