The Current
Upstream Arts News | June 2013
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In This Issue
Our Mission
The mission of Upstream Arts is to enhance the lives of adults and youth with disabilities by fostering creative communication and social independence through the power of arts education. To learn more about our work, please visit
UA Executive Director Julie Guidry visiting a Little Free Library
 Executive Dir. Julie Guidry visiting a LIttle Free Library
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Making Waves in June
Warm greetings from Upstream Arts! We hope your summer is off to a fantastic start. Here at our office in South Minneapolis, we're very happy to see the sun peeking out at long last.

In this issue of The Current, we're excited to share another art i. fact from our spring residencies with you. art i. facts are stories, poems, artwork, and other behind-the-scenes highlights from Upstream Arts programs, connecting you directly to the work that we do. While most of our Pre-K-12 residencies have now wrapped up for the school year, we're excited to be starting a whole new round of residencies at Adult Day Programs throughout the Twin Cities metro area. We're also thrilled to be collaborating with Valley Friendship Club on The Art of Me, a summer performing arts residency for individuals ages 12+ that will culminate in an original theater production this August! Click here to learn more. 

In other news, we also recently collaborated with local artists to make three Little Free Library installations along Chicago Avenue as part of Arts on Chicago, the arts-based community development initiative knitting together existing creative assets in the Central, Powderhorn, Bancroft, Bryant communities along Chicago Avenue from 32nd Street to 42nd Street. Click here to see pictures on Facebook and learn more.

All of this work is made possible through the generosity of individuals like you. June 30 marks the end of our fiscal year, so we invite you to make a contribution to Upstream Arts today. It's also a great time to set up a recurring monthly gift! Keep reading to learn more about how your support makes a difference.

Whether or not you're able to contribute financially, thank you for playing a vital role in this work. We're so grateful for your support and commitment.

Julie, Matt, Bree, Rachel, Charles, and Jess
art i. facts
Mirror Painting by students at Riverbend Education Center
Mirror Painting by students at Riverbend Education Center
This past year, Upstream Arts worked with students at Riverbend Education Center, a K-8 school that serves students with severe emotional and behavioral disabilities. One of our activities, Mirror Painting, involves a series of stations: one student explores movement, another "mirrors" the mover with paint, and others support the painter by holding the canvas. Everyone takes turns in each role, a collaboration that teaches self-expression and teamwork alongside visual art principles. In a recent reflection, teachers told us stories of students like Kyle, one of the makers of the painting you see here, who they saw "stepping up," "expressing himself," and "shining" in Upstream Arts as never before.
 
Upstream Arts residencies meet weekly for up to 12-weeks at no cost to participants. This service breaks down to about $285 per participant, per program - and we run more than 80 programs every year! Kyle's participation in Upstream Arts was made possible in part through generous contributions from our community of individual supporters.
 
Will you help provide access to Upstream Arts for more students like Kyle? We'd be so honored to have your support. Click here to make a tax-deductible contribution online today. You can also mail gifts to Upstream Arts, 3501 Chicago Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55407 or call us at (612) 331-4584 to make a donation over the phone.
 
Thank you!

We want to take a moment to say "Welcome!" to those of you who are new to receiving The Current and "Thanks!" to all of our subscribers for taking the time to learn about what's happening with Upstream Arts. If you're interested in reading past issues of The Current, check out the growing archive on our website!. Please rest assured that we will never share your information with outside parties and that you can always opt out, or invite new friends to opt in, using the links below. 
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Upstream Arts, Inc.
3501 Chicago Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55407
UpstreamArts.org 

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