A thoughtful and conscious commitment to accessibility beyond the narrow definition has resulted in numerous opportunities, including programs serving veterans with PTSD and TBI.
Established over 100 years ago as the Art Club of St. Petersburg, the Morean Arts Center has been an innovator in connecting the entire community, including our veterans, to art. In the 1920s, the center was offering art classes for youth and espousing the benefits of engaging students in hands-on learning experiences, literally decades ahead of the most current education theories.
Through our four venues, we provide studio art classes for all ages and abilities; pre-K thru age 12 youth art education programs; daily art-making demonstrations in glass and clay; and scheduled and pop-up contemporary art exhibits with local, emerging and influential artists.
We are committed to fully embracing accessibility. An achievement in this category that we consider one of our greatest accomplishments in the last 12 months is the development of Operation: Art of Valor, a community-based arts program that serves the military and veteran population through structured, hands-on learning that focuses on improving cognition, social interaction, physical dexterity, teamwork and confidence.
The Mission
With its roots in a mission to connect the community to art, the Morean Arts Center continues to innovate and embrace new audiences. Through the Museums for All program, the financial obstacle of access to The Chihuly Collection is eliminated, allowing underserved populations to have the full exhibit and glass-blowing demonstration experience year-round. Digital design and drawing classes leveraging emerging technologies are offered. A thoughtful and conscious commitment to accessibility beyond the narrow definition of compliance has resulted in bilingual sculpture classes, a “Please Touch the Glass” museum tour for vision-impaired attendees, and special programs for persons with Autism, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Dementia. We also offer a program that serves veterans with PTSD and TBI.
What Would You Do with $5,000 and a Day of Service?
A $5,000 gift would allow us to sustain and scale the Operation: Art of Valor program. We would be able to use the funds to support expansion of the program’s impact in two ways. We could expand the number of veterans and military glass artists who have the opportunity to participate in the training and workshops. (Currently we have been able to support 31 veterans). With a Day of Service, we could address additional needs of recovering veterans, such as a Regions-facilitated workshop on the finances of launching an art business and general financial literacy.