Art + Practice is a new project that combines art, social practice and pedagogy to serve foster youth and the larger community of Leimert Park in Los Angeles.
The foundation was formed by social activist Allan DiCastro, artist Mark Bradford and collector Eileen Harris and opened at the start of 2015. While it is too early to determine the legacy or impact of the foundation, it’s beginning offer an example of collaboration between existing organizations working in art and social practice. A+P aims to offer exhibitions, public programming and an artist residency programming with the support of UCLA’s Hammer Museum and the foster youth support service organization RightWay, which is now headquartered on the Art + Practice campus.
When the founders researched their zip code area, they found that there was a disproportionate number of youth in foster care, thus the project shows a direct incorporation of a problem into an artistic solution.
Art + Practice stood out as a project that uses art as a means of discussing and alleviating social issues through its combination with support services and existing programing. It demonstrates a larger version of Caroline Woolard’s concept of the ’solidarity economy’ that takes existing initiatives and link them together in order to create something larger.
Learn more about the foundation here: http://artandpractice.org/
http://www.artinamericamagazine.com/news-features/news/art-practice-pairs-art-with-social-change-in-los-angeles/