Outreach Programs
EAC's youth outreach programs bring free art instruction to over 500 elementary and teen students annually. EAC's new seniors program offers free art activities to elderly and/or disabled residents of nursing homes.
Artreach
Artreach serves more than 500 elementary school children in the after-school child care program in 12 Evanston/Skokie District 65 schools. Nearly 70% of the children are minority and nearly 60% are from low-income families.

Each and every ArtReach instructor will tell you that the program has a positive impact toward the self-worth of those who become engaged in the process of making art.
- Marti McGinnis, instructor in EAC’s ArtReach program, in collaboration with every District 65 elementary school.
ArtTech
The ArtTech program has been re-designed for middle school children and will be part of this art curriculum at Nichols school this year, during the regular school day. Students will learn to produce, direct and film a digital video. Support for this program comes from the Evanston Arts Council.


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Art Focus
Another long running program, Art Focus works with students in the "Working Wonders" summer program at Family Focus Our Place in Evanston. An entrepreneurial training program, students in Working Wonders learn skills to make products to sell in their community. Art Focus supports students in this program by teaching them art making skills.

These kids are learning fundamental sculptural methods and are being exposed to a kind of artistic involvement that they most likely would never get in school.
- Tim Branson, instructor, ArtFocus free summer program in collaboration with Evanston Family Focus
Generation F-Stop
Generation F-Stop combines photography with journal writing as ways for students to identify, examine and articulate issues shaping their lives. Participants in Generation F-Stop are girls in Evanston Family Focus Our Place’s "Girls Just Wanna" Program. Using digital cameras, the girls take photographs and learn to evaluate content to effectively express their ideas. The girls keep journal records of their experience. A selection of the girls’ photographs is included in the Art Center’s biennial Youth Fine Arts Student Exhibition.

The girls are given an opportunity to reflect on their surroundings in a way they usually don’t do, and they are learning to think visually.
- Hui-min-Tsen, instructor, Generation F-Stop
ArtsAffirm
Experienced EAC instructors encourage creative self-expression among nursing home residents, enhancing their quality of life through hands-on art and craft projects.

The program is absolutely, positively one of the best experiences the residents have ever had.
- Sharon Mart, Activity Director at the Village Nursing Home about ArtsAffirm, EAC’s new outreach program.