On weekday afternoons at Tantra Lake Apartments; a Boulder Housing Partners (BHP) community, a group of local youth are trading screens and idle time for paint, paper, and a shared creative environment.
Through a new partnership between Street Wise Arts, PLAY Boulder Foundation, and Boulder Housing Partners, teaching artists will lead a six-week after-school art enrichment program designed for young BHP residents who have limited access to creative programming outside of school. The program responds to a growing desire among families for high-quality arts opportunities that are accessible where youth already live and provide creative connections for children to engage with their communities, neighbors, and peers.
Rather than functioning as a traditional art class, the program centers creativity as a tool for belonging, self-expression, and confidence-building. Street Wise Arts selected local artist Jeresneyka Rose, known as Rizzo, to guide youth through collaborative and individual projects and to create a supportive environment where participants can explore their identities, connect with peers, and experience the value of making art together. “I am passionate about curating spaces where people feel safe and comfortable to create freely,” states Rizzo. “I am excited to provide a high-quality art experience where youth can discover and explore more about themselves, each other and the world through intentional workshops that center storytelling through art.”
For Street Wise Arts and PLAY Boulder Foundation, the partnership reflects a shared belief that art should not be a privilege or an extracurricular luxury, but a community resource, especially for young people navigating systemic barriers to access. The program launched in late January and culminates in a community sharing moment for families and neighbors at Tantra Lake Apartments, highlighting not only the students’ finished artwork, but the relationships and confidence built along the way. “This is a beautiful opportunity for BHP families throughout our properties to have access to enrichment within their neighborhoods and cultivate deeper and more creative relationships with their neighbors. Children and families deserve communities that promote learning, belonging and joy,” says Jamillah Richmond, Resident Services Coordinator of Tantra Lake.
This program was supported by funding from PLAY Boulder Foundation’s PLAYpass program, which partners with community organizations to connect youth with accessible recreational and arts related opportunities. Boulder Housing Partners and Street Wise Arts were excited to collaborate to bring arts-based programming directly into Tantra Lake. “When community partners come together with a shared vision, more meaningful access becomes possible,” says Greta Sandberg, Access Manager at PLAY Boulder Foundation. “This pilot program allows PLAYpass to expand beyond recreation and into the arts, creating more welcoming and culturally responsive spaces where youth can build confidence, express themselves, and feel a true sense of belonging within their own community. I couldn’t be more excited about this partnership and the opportunity it creates for our youth.”
“For more than a decade, Street Wise Arts has partnered with Boulder Housing Partners on community-informed mural projects, and we are deeply excited to expand that collaboration by bringing art education programs directly to residents,” says Leah Brenner Clack, Founder and Executive Director of Street Wise Arts. “Tantra Lake holds a special place in my heart—I once called it home—and it’s especially meaningful to continue to be a part of the community here.”
This initial art enrichment program serves as a pilot program. Street Wise Arts, PLAY Boulder, and Boulder Housing Partners hope to expand by bringing more arts education programming to other BHP communities.