Artful Dodgers Studios

What is Artful Dodgers Studios?

Artful Dodgers Studios, a program of Jesuit Community College, is a flexible and welcoming studio space where marginalised young people can create art and music with the support of experienced artists and musicians.

Artful Dodgers Studios aims to:

• engage at-risk young people through art and music
• increase young people’s artistic and employability skills, social connection and self esteem
• encourage young people to re-engage positively with learning.

Established in 1996, Artful Dodgers Studios is one of Victoria’s longest running community cultural development programs.

We deliver the program from our Collingwood learning environment, Jesuit Community College, with funding support from the City of Yarra, Department of Health and Human Services, Gertrude Players and Telstra Kids Fund.

How does Artful Dodgers Studios work?

1. We offer young people free visual art and music training in a safe, vibrant space

Artful Dodgers Studios gives marginalised young people the chance to work in fully equipped art and music studios with professional artists and musicians.

The young people we work with face mental health and substance misuse problems, or other barriers to employment

Through Artful Dodgers Studios, young people can choose to:

• take a short course
• engage in one-on-one mentoring
• drop in to the open access studios to work on individual or collaborative projects.

Visual and digital art

Our art studio is staffed with professional practising artists.

In the studio, young people can work with a range of paints (oil, watercolour, acrylic and spraypaint), as well as collage, stencils, lino, sculpture.

We also provide equipment for digital art forms, including animation, video, graphic design and internet art.

Music

Our fully equipped music recording studio helps young people explore their music.

The versatile studio caters for:

• traditional band set-ups
• modern music styles, such as hip-hop
• one-on-one sessions with professional musicians (including instrument tuition, song-writing development, recording and live performance skills).

2. We provide opportunities for young people to publicly exhibit art and perform music

We give young people the chance to exhibit their art in our on-site gallery, Little Woods Gallery, and to perform their music at our monthly Megaphone concerts.

We also support young people to participate in community arts projects and music projects.

Through these opportunities, young people can be recognised as cultural contributors and decision-makers about their arts practice.

3. We help young people build healthy relationships and access support services

Through the practice of art and music, we develop young people’s trust and model positive and healthy relationships.

At Artful Dodgers Studios, we create a cultural haven where young people can:

• explore identity beyond risk factors
• develop a routine and build familiarity with the Studio
• realise their unique stories and visions
• express their experience of marginalisation through creative projects
• access other (‘wrap-around’) support services.

Our professional artistic staff can also refer young people to any extra help they may need. Jesuit Social Services’ mental health, drug and alcohol, and education, training and employment services are readily accessible to all young people at the studios.

How can I refer people to Artful Dodgers Studios?

To make a referral, or arrange a tour of Artful Dodgers Studios, please contact our Arts and Culture Coordinator:

1 Langridge St (PO Box 1141) Collingwood VIC 3066

Tel: 03 9415 8700 | Fax: 03 9415 7733 | Email: angeliki.androutsopoulos@jss.org.au