Virtual Arts and Culture Education Series

This project seeks grant funds for a twelve-week virtual arts and culture education series for the twelve residents of MaineStay, a residential treatment program operated by the nonprofit Opportunity Alliance. The MaineStay program provides transitional housing and individualized mental-health treatment for young adults, age 18-25, with significant mental illness and are at a high risk of experiencing homelessness. Through virtually delivered lessons, discussions, and performances in the arts and culture, MaineStay will provide its residents with novel experiences, learning, and engagement that will contribute to their mental health recovery while adhering to the CDC\u27s guidelines for congregate care facilities. The curriculum for the series will be developed based on resident’s interests, and will expose and educate them in the arts and culture. As a therapeutic resource, the series will help to fill the resource gap recently caused by the public health crisis. During the series, MaineStay will documenting and assess: residents’ participation; changes in residents\u27 attitudes and knowledge of arts and culture; the program’s level of engagement with new partners; and art, reflections, and personal statements created by residents. Based on evaluations and feedback from its partners in the project and its participants, MaineStay will design action steps for implementing a recurring arts and culture series, taking the needed planning steps to offer arts and culture education and exposure to all its future residents