Traditional Arts and Literacy ProgramThe Matchbox Gallery, which was created in 1987 by Jim & Sue Shirley as a crosscultural arts workshop, serves the community of Rankin Inlet in several ways. In addition to being a display and production centre, the Matchbox Gallery is a centre of learning, development and empowerment for a wide range of residents in the community. There are art classes for high school and elementary school students, for people on social assistance, adult evening classes, programs for intellectually disabled adults, and innovative programming that integrates arts and academic learning. The Traditional Arts and Literacy Program is intended as a foundation program from which students can choose their artistic direction. Participants in the 14 week program study most areas of the traditional arts including drawing, painting, ceramics, printmaking, and soapstone carving. Basic mathematics, reading and writing are an integral part of the program. The instructors feel that the academic programming is successful because they take an individualized approach to preparing course materials and lessons plans. They use materials with northern content which is relevant to experiences, needs and interests of the participants and the lessons are geared to individual levels of ability. Along with mathematics, reading and vocabulary development, daily journal writing is an important part of the program. Through their journaling the students express their problems, goals and wishes and the instructors respond. Some students work on other writing projects such as autobiographies. In drawing classes students study techniques for drawing from observation and imagination. They learn to use various drawing tools and materials to express themselves. Concepts and related vocabulary are an important part of the drawing lessons. During another portion of their day, the students concentrate on painting, ceramics or sculpture. Jim Shirley comments, "This portion of the day allowed people to learn about themselves, to develop their self-confi dence, and to take the issues they have at the core of their humanness and give them a tangible and manageable form." He feels that the gallery also provides an important social environment for the students. Contact Information: Youth ArtsArts Programs for Youth at risk Youth and Cultural Literacy ExhibitThe Youth and Cultural Literacy project was the literacy component of a larger initiative of community-based exhibitions about contemporary youth culture. Teens were encouraged to think critically about material culture and to connect it to their regional identities and to their community's past. Contact Information: |
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