CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF ARTWORKS
Honoring the Past, Building the Future.
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ArtWorks is turning 20!
For two decades this program has provided high school youth with paid apprenticeships, artistic mentorship, and professional development through the power of the arts.
To celebrate this milestone, we are launching the ArtWorks 20th Anniversary Campaign, a year-long initiative to honor our legacy, engage our alumni, and invite 1,000 people to donate $200 each by Summer 2026 to support the future of creative youth in Cleveland. Our goal is to celebrate our past, support our present, and secure our future.
We invite you to be a part of this exciting journey.
Learn more about the campaign and how you can get involved below.
ArtWorks is the Center for Arts-Inspired Learning’s longest-running community program, offering paid arts-based apprenticeships to high school students in grades 10 through 12.
Through fall, spring, and summer sessions, students are enrolled as apprentices in a range of artistic disciplines such as visual art, podcasting, filmmaking, dance, fashion design, songwriting, and more. They are mentored by professional Teaching Artists and gain real-world experience, creative growth, and job readiness skills.
Each session ends with a culminating showcase, ArtWorks Live!
No prior experience is required to apply, and apprentices receive a stipend for their participation.
Fall and Spring sessions are held after school, two days a week
Summer sessions run four days a week during the day
WHAT IS ARTWORKS?
WHY ARTWORKS MATTERS
Due to decreased funding for arts education, programs like ArtWorks are increasingly at risk. At the same time, they’re more essential than ever.
ArtWorks gives 10th through 12th grade youth the opportunity to work alongside professional Teaching Artists, building artistic talent, job readiness, and life skills that prepare them for success beyond high school.
Over the past 20 years, ArtWorks has:
Provided first-time job experiences for over 2,000 youth
Equipped students with workforce development skills including time management, resume building, interview techniques, teamwork, and professionalism
Fostered mentorship between youth and working artists
Helped youth build confidence, communication skills, and a creative voice
Built a diverse, multi-generational community rooted in the power of the arts
Launched countless youth artists into higher education, creative careers, and civic engagement
Your support helps us continue this transformative work and reach even more youth in the years ahead.
The 20th Anniversary Campaign
We are seeking 1,000 people to donate $200 to help us reach our goal by Summer 2026.
YOUR SUPPORT HELPS US:
Invest in workforce development by funding paid apprenticeships for high school students and paid creative opportunities for Teaching Artists to mentor and lead
Expand access by removing financial and systemic barriers for youth from under-resourced communities
Build a strong alumni network to foster professional connections, expand volunteer support, and strengthen long-term program sustainability
Create career pathways by engaging alumni in mentorship and leadership opportunities that promote equity and creative workforce development
Celebrate 20 years of impact through a community-wide event showcasing the talent, voices, and stories of ArtWorks youth and alumni
Be 1 in 1,000
Your donation powers creative opportunity and equity in Cleveland.
WERE YOU PART OF ARTWORKS?
We’re looking to reconnect with the incredible people who have shaped ArtWorks over the past two decades. Whether you were an Apprentice, Teaching Artist, Program Manager, Assistant, or family member of someone who participated, you’re an important part of our story.
Through the ArtWorks Alumni Network, we’re creating space to stay connected, celebrate your journey, and invite you to help shape the future of the program.
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Complete one simple form to:
Provide your contact information so we can let you know about upcoming events and opportunities
Share your ArtWorks story by writing a few sentences or uploading a 30 second –2 minute video/audio clip
This is your chance to come full circle and help shape the future of a program that may have shaped you.
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Help us continue this program for the next 20 years and beyond. We’re working toward a goal of raising $200,000 by next summer by rallying 1,000 supporters to give $200 each.
Every gift helps create opportunities for youth artists to thrive.
Donate Link Coming Soon
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Know another former apprentice, teaching artist, staff member, family member or anyone else who was part of the ArtWorks community?
Invite them to join the network and be part of what’s coming next.
Ways to Get Involved
MEET THE ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE
A team of ArtWorks alumni is helping lead this campaign and alumni outreach. Meet the individuals behind the effort and learn how they’re supporting this next chapter of ArtWorks.
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Da'Nira McClary
Years Participated in ArtWorks: 2015-2016, 2017-2018
Art Forms Taken Part In: Photography, Performance Poetry, Dance, Game Design
Current Organization: Department of The Interior/National Park Service
Current Job Title: Park Ranger/Media -
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Emily Gitlin
Years Participated in ArtWorks: Summer 2010-2011
Art Forms Taken Part In: Photography and Video Game Design
Current Organization: The Pratt Institute
Current Job Title: Administrative Assistant for Development -
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LAUREN JORDAN
Years Participated in ArtWorks: 2005-2007
Art Forms Taken Part In: Photography and Dance
Current Organization: JumpStart Inc.
Current Job Title: Events & Marketing Associate -
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Janet Katzin
Years Participated in ArtWorks: Summer 2008
Art Forms Taken Part In: Stage Combat
Current Organization: Hawken School
Current Job Title: Alumni Relations -
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MAKENNA REDDIX
Years Participated in ArtWorks: 2023-2025
Art Forms Taken Part In: Poetry and Photography
Current Organization: Morgan State University
Current Job Title: Student -
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MIKAILI CLARK
Years Participated in ArtWorks: 2022-2024
Art Forms Taken Part In: Songwriting, Performance Poetry, Drawing, Fashion Design
Current Organization: Eccentric Fantasies
Current Job Title: Artist -
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Kaleigh Tuck-Macalla
Years Participated in ArtWorks: 2010, 2011
Art Forms Taken Part In: Vocal Performance
Current Organization: Frederick Douglass High School/Oakmont Education
Current Job Title: Family Advocate -
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Aniya Johnson
Years Participated in ArtWorks: Fall 2022, Summer 2022, Fall 2023, Spring 2023
Art Forms Taken Part In: Videography, Spoken Word Poetry, Photography, Crafting Arts Poetry
Current Organization: Kent State University
Current Job Title: Student / Desk Assistant and College Senator (Undergraduate Student Government)
