Welcome to Make a Connection Thru Art, part of a global youth development initiative of Nokia and the International Youth Foundation.

Through this innovative program, young teens develop key life skills – skills like self-confidence, communication, respect, and creative and critical thinking – as they work in the classroom with professional artists to create works of art that express their concerns and impressions of the world.

The Make a Connection Thru Art program is centered on the Artist Residency, a series of classroom-based sessions that integrate life skills and artistic instruction in a way that engages young people and personalizes their approach to the artistic process.

In each school where Make a Connection Thru Art is offered, artists work directly with students to develop life skills while at the same time exploring two dynamic art forms:

While learning specific artistic techniques, students find their own voices and work together to create their own art based on themes that connect to their everyday coursework and extracurricular activities. In the process, they explore new ways of working, new ways of collaborating, and new ways of presenting and sharing what they know. Students use technology as a means to share their art and writings with their family, friends and the community. The result is a unique experience that puts students at the center of the artistic process, together with professional artists and their peers.

Developed for schools that otherwise would lack access to many of these resources, the Make a Connection Thru Art program is available at no cost to the schools and students it serves.