Youth Literature and Creative Writing Volunteers

Community-Word Project is a New York City based 501(c)(3) arts-in-education organization that inspires children in underserved communities to read, interpret and respond to their world and to become active citizens through collaborative arts residencies and teacher training programs.

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Arts Discipline:
Arts Education

Service Description:
CWP seeks volunteers to engage in our programming during the school day for four specific types of one-time volunteer days:

  • Anthology Editing Day – Work one-on-one with students as they prepare original creative writing for publication in a CWP print anthology, then share lunch or a snack.
  • Mentor Day – Act as mentors to middle and high school students as they begin to think about their career choices. Volunteers give advice, lead thoughtful discussions, Q&A sessions, and fun classroom activities.
  • Holiday Party – Students will practice their writing skills by writing letters with their wish lists of books. Grant their wishes by gifting books and joining a classroom for a holiday book celebration (December holidays, Valentine’s Day, before summer vacation or other school break).
  • End-of-Year Celebration – Cheer on our student performers as they take the stage to share their writing and artwork with their community. Join us afterwards for a celebration that honors their achievements throughout the year.

Volunteers will meet at the assigned school and participate with our students for half a day. No experience is necessary. CWP will provide all materials and day-of orientation directions.

Purpose or Business Needs Addressed:

Founded in 1997, CWP inspires young people to read, interpret and respond to their world through classroom-based arts residencies and Teaching Artist trainings. Community-Word Project (CWP) believes that individual voices reach their fullest potential when they come together as a community. We welcome volunteers to join our arts education programs with New York City public school students.

Number of Volunteers:
15 volunteers
Can accommodate between 1-20 volunteers; 15 is ideal range.

Time Commitment:
Weekdays; Flexible

Cast and Costume Volunteer Parties In or Outside the Office

Only Make Believe’s mission is very simple, to give joy and inspiration to as many sick children as we can. Our unique way of doing this is to bring professional actors into the hospital wards to entertain the children with specially created plays designed for their needs and to encourage their participation. We send teams of actors for six consecutive weeks with six different shows so the kids can get to know our actors and our actors get to know and love the kids.

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Arts Discipline:
Theater, Visual Arts

Service Description:
Costume Collective Volunteer without leaving your office! OMB will transform your conference or multi-purpose room into a costume workshop! Your employees will be invited to use their artistic skills and imagination to create one-of-a-kind costumes for the kids OMB serves to wear during our performances. OMB sets up, introduces our program to your volunteers, facilitates the event, cleans up and distributes the decorated costumes to the children we serve. This is our most popular event because we come to you, we can accommodate any group size at any time you wish you engage your volunteers.

Cast Party Volunteer with the kids! Bring a group of 5 to 12 employees to share the fun of an OMB show with the kids! Your employees will get a first-hand view of what we do in hospitals and care facilities. Your group will travel to one of our hospitals, decorate the playroom, enjoy the show performed by OMB actors, and throw a party for the kids with snacks, juice, and goodie bags for each child!

Purpose or Business Needs Addressed:

  • Team-building activities
  • Networking opportunities
  • Collaboration
  • Sparks creativity
  • Fun
  • Fulfilling
  • Improved employee engagement

Number of Volunteers:
5-100+ volunteers

Time Commitment:
Flexible

Associated Cost:
$1,500-$4,000

Art Party Volunteer Events

Free Arts NYC provides underserved children and families with a unique combination of educational arts and mentoring programs that help them to foster the self-confidence and resiliency needed to realize their fullest potential.

Address: 1431 Broadway, 7th & 8th Fl, New York, NY 10018-1907

Apply Here

Arts Discipline:
Arts Education, Visual Arts

Service Description:

FREE ARTS DAYS

Encourage creativity at our pop-up art-making festivals.

Pair one-on-one with a child and together create multiple art projects based on the day’s theme, giving children the opportunity to explore different materials and techniques. Lunch is provided and the day may conclude with an interactive performance.

Themes include: Meet the Modern Masters, The Art of Storytelling, or Finding my Superpowers. We can also customize a theme for your team.

Details: Group size 20 to 200. Free Arts Days are held at community partner sites in Manhattan after school hours 3-6pm. On school breaks (see next page for dates) Free Arts Days can be held any time of day and children can be brought to your office.

ART PARTY

Help prep materials that will be used in our programs across the city.

It takes an “all hands on deck” approach to prepare for the 15,000 art projects Free Arts Day participants create each year. No artistic background needed – only teamwork, playfulness and willingness to have fun.

Prep work may include: painting paper bags, cutting up magazines for collages, and packing art supplies into kits.

Details: Group size 10 and up. We can host your team any weekday, any time of day. Our art room holds 50 volunteers, but we can also bring the bring the supplies to your office.

MUSEUM & TRAVELING ARTS DAYS

Spend the day with a group of children touring a museum or cultural venue.

Pair one-on-one with a child and a trained museum educator will lead your group through the current exhibitions. Lunch is provided.

Visit places like: MOMA, The Guggenheim Museum, & DJ Scratch Academy.

Details: Group size 10 to 35. Museum Visits can be held on school breaks or on Saturdays.

Purpose or Business Needs Addressed:

  • Highlight your company's reputation as a philanthropic community leader
  • Increase loyalty and retention among your employees
  • Help NYC kids succeed through art and mentoring

Number of Volunteers:
25-150 volunteers

Time Commitment:
Times of Day - Weekdays or Weekends on a Fixed Schedule

Associated Cost:
$1,000-$15,800

Paint an Under-Resourced NYC Public School Alongside Middle and High School Students

Publicolor is a youth development organization that engages at-risk students in their education and empowers them to plan and prepare for college and career through a continuum of design-based programs, academic support, and by teaching career-readiness skills.

Address: 149 Madison Ave #1201, New York, NY 10016

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Arts Discipline:
Arts Education, Arts Services

Position Description:
Publicolor is a long-term youth development program that engages at-risk students in their education through a continuum of design based programs that mentor them to be successful in life, school, college and career. Unique to Publicolor - and central to our mission - is the transformation of under-resourced NYC public schools and nearby community facilities using the power of color and design, the affordable medium of paint, and strong community collaborations. Corporate volunteer groups will paint alongside our students - all at risk of dropping out of school - while informally mentoring them, talking to them about their careers and the education and experience it took them to get there. These conversations broaden our students' horizons and immeasurably act as incentives to stay in school and consider college.

Purpose:
Our work is grounded in research that confirms that when one changes an environment, one changes attitudes and behavior-studies show that learning benefits from a stimulus-rich environment not dominated by gray, beige, and off-white, and that visual stimulation effectively rewires the brain, strengthening connections while fostering visual thinking, problem-solving, and creativity. We paint warm and welcoming colors in struggling NYC public schools to increase school pride, reduce disruptive behavior, lessen vandalism, reduce absenteeism, and create a supportive space for school activities.

Qualifications and Skills:
Volunteers do not need to know how to paint
Professional Skills - All professional skills are welcome

Number of Volunteers:
20

Time Commitment:
Duration - 1 day
Days of Week - Saturday
Times of Day - 9:45 AM - 3 PM

Associated Cost:
Publicolor provides lunch, but we ask $10/volunteer to help us defray the cost of food and beverages.

Musical Theater Day at an Arts-Poor School

TADA!’s mission is two-fold: to present high-quality musical theater productions performed by talented kids for family audiences; and to provide a safe, creative and nurturing place where kids can harness their inherent energy, build their self-esteem and realize their true potential through the unique collaborative art form that is musical theater.  Young people gain confidence and learn commitment, responsibility, communication, and teamwork—skills that are critical to their success in both school and life.  TADA! is a place where they can develop their individual talents while being a vital part of a larger family group.

Address: 15 West 28th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10001

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Arts Discipline:
Arts Education, Cultural, Dance, Music, Theater

Position Description:
This project will bring a one-day Musical Theater workshop to a school that has expressed interest in enhancing their classroom curriculum but does not have the funds to support an extensive program with TADA!.  Volunteers will travel to the school with TADA! staff and Teaching Artists, meet with the teachers to discuss a school value they want explored and the objectives of the workshop, participate in the activities with the students, and then recap the days’ activity.

Purpose:
Children have the opportunity to be creative for a day and explore a community theme in a less traditional way; kids and school feel the value of this type of program by seeing a corporation give time and money to this type of project; school officials have the opportunity to showcase this type of program to potential funders and other decision-makers.

Qualifications and Skills:
Professional Skills - None

Number of Volunteers:
12

Time Commitment:
Duration - 1 day
Days of Week - Weekdays, Weekends
Times of Day - Mornings, Afternoons
Schedule - Flexible

Associated Cost:
$2500
 

Ushering

TADA!’s mission is two-fold: to present high-quality musical theater productions performed by talented kids for family audiences; and to provide a safe, creative and nurturing place where kids can harness their inherent energy, build their self-esteem and realize their true potential through the unique collaborative art form that is musical theater.  Young people gain confidence and learn commitment, responsibility, communication, and teamwork—skills that are critical to their success in both school and life.  TADA! is a place where they can develop their individual talents while being a vital part of a larger family group.

Address: 15 West 28th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10001

Apply Here

Arts Discipline:
Arts Education, Cultural, Dance, Music, Theater

Position Description:
TADA! seeks 2 volunteers per performance to usher audience members from street level to their seats, run a concession stand and work with our house manager to ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable visit to TADA!. Volunteers will also get to enjoy the performance and bring a child guest with them, and corporate partners have the opportunity to put sponsorship signage in lobby.

Purpose:
To have a well-staffed lobby.

Qualifications and Skills:
Professional Skills - None
Notes: 1 child (age 8+) per adult volunteer welcome

Number of Volunteers:
2
Notes: 25-35 performances per production

Time Commitment:
Duration - 2.5 hours
Days of Week - Weekends
Times of Day - Afternoons
Schedule - Fixed

Associated Cost:
$100 per performance

Painting Public Spaces at TADA! Youth Theater

TADA!’s mission is two-fold: to present high-quality musical theater productions performed by talented kids for family audiences; and to provide a safe, creative and nurturing place where kids can harness their inherent energy, build their self-esteem and realize their true potential through the unique collaborative art form that is musical theater.  Young people gain confidence and learn commitment, responsibility, communication, and teamwork—skills that are critical to their success in both school and life.  TADA! is a place where they can develop their individual talents while being a vital part of a larger family group.

Address: 15 West 28th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10001

Apply Here

Arts Discipline:
Arts Education, Cultural, Dance, Music, Theater

Position Description:
TADA! has inhabited our 2-floor theater and office space for more than a decade.  We’ve recently begun to spruce up our space with support from corporate volunteers and now enjoy newly painted walls in our theater lobby and a glossy refinished floor in the rehearsal studio.  The next project is to paint our stairwell and dressing rooms with a fresh coat and some brand identity to make our space welcoming to audiences and actors alike.

Purpose:
To clean our nice new walls!

Qualifications and Skills:
Professional Skills - None

Number of Volunteers:
12

Time Commitment:
Duration - 2 days
Days of Week - Weekends
Times of Day - Evenings
Schedule - Fixed

Associated Cost:
$2000

Carpet Removal and Minor Carpentry

TADA!’s mission is two-fold: to present high-quality musical theater productions performed by talented kids for family audiences; and to provide a safe, creative and nurturing place where kids can harness their inherent energy, build their self-esteem and realize their true potential through the unique collaborative art form that is musical theater.  Young people gain confidence and learn commitment, responsibility, communication, and teamwork—skills that are critical to their success in both school and life.  TADA! is a place where they can develop their individual talents while being a vital part of a larger family group.

Address: 15 West 28th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10001

Apply Here

Arts Discipline:
Arts Education, Cultural, Dance, Music, Theater

Position Description:
Seeking volunteers with a vengeance!  The current theater lobby carpet and stage need to be ripped up in order to lay newer, cleaner flooring and clean out a long-lost storage space.  This project would be overseen by a professional carpenter and theater technician.

Purpose:
To clean our nice new walls!

Qualifications and Skills:
Professional Skills - Strength, Minimal carpentry

Number of Volunteers:
5

Time Commitment:
Duration - 0.5 days
Days of Week - Weekends
Times of Day - Evenings
Schedule - Fixed

Associated Cost:
$1000

Art Supply Delivery

ProjectArt is an award winning NYC based arts education nonprofit, providing free after school visual arts classes in public libraries across the city.

Address: 601 West 26th Street, Suite 325. New York, NY 10001

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Arts Discipline:
Arts Education

Position Description:
Volunteers will meet at the ProjectArt office a week before the semester begins. Each group will be assigned a branch to deliver the supplies to, which will be provided to them in an easy-to-carry container. They will also receive a map and the information of the library contact to whom they will hand off the supplies.

Purpose:
This is a chance for the volunteers to get a first hand look at where the art-making takes place, and get an introduction to a (most likely) new library! At the end of the semester volunteers will receive invitations to the student exhibitions to view the art that was made possible by the supplies they delivered.

Qualifications and Skills:
None

Number of Volunteers:
2-3 per branch, 30 total

Time Commitment:
Duration - 1 day (Early February, late June, or early October)
Days of Week - Weekdays, Weekends
Times of Day - Flexible
Schedule - Flexible

Associated Cost:
None

Student Exhibition Production

ProjectArt is an award winning NYC based arts education nonprofit, providing free after school visual arts classes in public libraries across the city.

Address: 601 West 26th Street, Suite 325. New York, NY 10001

Apply Here

Arts Discipline:
Arts Education

Position Description:
Volunteers will meet ProjectArt staff/teacher at student exhibition location (either library or gallery) 2-3 hours before exhibition opening. Under the direction of staff, volunteers will hang student work and name labels. Volunteers will then help prepare the space, which could include setting up tables and chairs and putting out food. At the end of the event, if at a gallery, volunteers will help take down pieces to be returned to the students. No previous experience or specific skills are necessary, just enthusiasm!

Purpose:
At ProjectArt, we believe that when a child creates something beautiful it should be celebrated! This opportunity will allow volunteers to help ProjectArt's small team organize and run a student exhibition at a renowned Chelsea Gallery from start to finish, exposing our students to the world of art business, and the art world to the next generation of young creatives.

Qualifications and Skills:
None

Number of Volunteers:
3-5

Time Commitment:
Duration - 1 afternoon or evening
Days of Week - Weekdays, Weekends
Times of Day - Afternoons, Evenings
Schedule - Flexible

Associated Cost:
None

 

Collaborative Artwork

ProjectArt is an award winning NYC based arts education nonprofit, providing free after school visual arts classes in public libraries across the city.

Address: 601 West 26th Street, Suite 325. New York, NY 10001

Apply Here

Arts Discipline:
Arts Education

Position Description:
Led by a ProjectArt instructor, volunteers will work collaboratively with our students to create a piece of artwork, such as a mural, sculpture or mix media wall piece. Each volunteer will have the chance to work closely with two to three students, sharing ideas and learning new techniques together. After the work is completed, the work can be displayed in the collection of the company or used in a later event.

Purpose:
This is an opportunity for students to work closely with a volunteer mentor to see an art project from start to finish. In our classes, we keep the student to teacher ratio low to maintain individualized attention for our kids and this is a chance to help spur even more personal growth.

Qualifications and Skills:
None

Number of Volunteers:
1 volunteer per 1-3 kids

Notes:
This activity can be done with up to 100 volunteers

Time Commitment:
Duration - 1 day
Days of Week - Flexible
Times of Day - Flexible
Schedule - Flexible

Associated Cost:
$1,000 up to 25 volunteers
$2,000 25- 50 volunteers
$3,000 50 - 100 volunteers

 

Museum Experience

ProjectArt is an award winning NYC based arts education nonprofit, providing free after school visual arts classes in public libraries across the city.

Address: 601 West 26th Street, Suite 325. New York, NY 10001

Apply Here

Arts Discipline:
Arts Education

Position Description:
Volunteers will travel to the chosen museum on the day of the event and meet with ProjectArt staff and a museum educator to go over day’s agenda. Students will be dropped off and then be put into groups with volunteers. Each group will take their own path through the museum, aided by a museum educator. ProjectArt staff with circulate to check in with the groups. Groups will visit a few key pieces of art that have been pre-identified by volunteers and have discussions or activities.

Purpose:
Volunteers will have the opportunity to introduce kids from low-income communities to the art world through this exciting experience. For many of the kids it may be the first time they've been to the museum and for volunteers it will be a chance to view it from a new perspective.

Qualifications and Skills:
None

Number of Volunteers:
1 volunteer per 1-3 kids

Notes:
This activity can be done with up to 100 volunteers

Time Commitment:
Duration - 1 day
Days of Week - Flexible
Times of Day - Flexible
Schedule - Flexible

Associated Cost:
1-35 volunteers $5,000
36-70 volunteers $8,000
70-100 volunteers $11,000

 

Supply Drive

ProjectArt is an award winning NYC based arts education nonprofit, providing free after school visual arts classes in public libraries across the city.

Address: 601 West 26th Street, Suite 325. New York, NY 10001

Apply Here

Arts Discipline:
Arts Education

Position Description:
Volunteers can divide themselves into teams, or teams could be determined based on company departments. Each team will be assigned a branch by the ProjectArt staff and will be given a supply list with quantities to be filled. Teams will each have a designated box where they can the collect supplies. Boxes could be stored separately or in a more public central location for an added, fun, sense of competition. At the end of the drive, ProjectArt staff will come to pick up the supplies.

Purpose:
This is an opportunity for volunteers to literally help make art happen! At the end of the the semester, volunteers will be invited to our student exhibition so that they can see the masterpieces that were a result of their supply donation.

Qualifications and Skills:
None

Number of Volunteers:
4-5 per branch

Notes:
There are currently have 15 branches but not all need to be covered at one time.

Time Commitment:
Duration - 2 weeks, minimum
Days of Week - Flexible
Times of Day - Flexible
Schedule - Flexible

Associated Cost:
None