Results

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Our surveys show our results. We provide more than poetry workshops, Art from Ashes shows young people that through the power of their creative genius, all things are possible in their lives.
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Download a pdf of our 2015 evaluation results

AfA’s pre and post surveys, conducted on youth in the Phoenix Rising program since 2009, show that the workshops develop youth connections to their communities and produce in youth a deeper belief in themselves and their potential, leading to improved social and emotional skills and behavior.

In 2015, surveys demonstrated

  • a 9% increase in youth who say they try hard in school
  • a 60% increase in youth who say they are good at setting goals
  • a 209% increase in youth who say they see themselves as poets
  • a 56% increase in youth who say they believe young people can be poets
  • a 73% increase in youth who say they spend time doing poetry

AfA’s youth empowerment programs are fundamental to providing the self-value and motivation necessary for youth to take advantage of educational opportunities, job and career counseling, drug and alcohol rehab, and mental health services.

The value of the program is regularly recognized by the community it serves, as evidenced by this recent testimonial: “I can’t thank you enough…The work that you do is helping to transform our school and inspire our students more than you may know.”
— Brian Sleevi, creative writing teacher at The New America School in Thornton, Colorado.

AfA’s evaluation results are integrated into ongoing curriculum design enhancement and program implementation, improved staff training, and communication of program results to community partners and funders.

AfA’s surveys include space for personal testimonials about the program. When asked what change, if any, they saw in their life as a result of this program, youth responses included:

  • “I have creative genius in me, and people want to hear it spoken.”
  • “Art from Ashes has helped me get into writing and finding the passion that had lay within.”
  • “I see a huge change. I didn’t know I could be the creative. In a way, I didn’t know how much I have in me.
  • “I will have more faith in myself when it comes to making important decisions in life.”

SCFD Grants

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SCFD LogoArt from Ashes has received grants from the Denver County Cultural Council, the Adams County Cultural Council, the Arapahoe County Cultural Council and the Douglas County Cultural Council to support workshops in those specific counties in 2018.

Thank you to the citizens of the SCFD counties who voted to continue SCFD funding!  See below for how much your decision to spend 1/10th of 1 penny impacts Colorado!

The Colorado Business Committee for the Arts analyzed the economic impact of arts organizations assisted by SCFD funding:

  • Economic activity: $1.8 billion
  • Cultural tourism: $367 million; capital expenditures: $55 million; federal grants: $90.8 million
  • Total jobs: 10,731 (This covers a broad array of positions, from curator to accountant to zookeeper to jazz teacher)
  • Total payroll: $165.2 million
  • Total seat sales and payroll taxes: $19.8 million
  • Total contributions: $176.4 million
  • Total attendance: 13.9 million (The average metro resident had 4.5 art experiences in 2015.)
  • Total outreach to children: 3.9 million
  • Total volunteers 42,415 (Hours spent volunteering reached 2,031,073.)
  • SCFD distributions: $53.2 million.

-Sonya Ellingboe, Castle Rock News-Press

All Sacred Tattoos For Good

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Get tattooed for a cause! All proceeds from the All Sacred Foundation fundraiser are donated to four amazing organizations: Art from Ashes, Phoenix Multisport and Planned Pethood International and Colton’s Crusade.

Join the Facebook event here: www.facebook.com/events/275194249549281/

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First Friday-Jan

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JFirstFriday-postcard 2015oin us every First Friday in Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe for youth spoken word performances at different venues on Santa Fe Dr. between 6.30 and 7 p.m. (during summer we will be performing on the corner of 9th and Santa Fe).

Much more than a public performance, youth gather at Art from Ashes at 4.30 for a FREE one-hour Phoenix Rising writing wordshop, followed at 5.30 by a FREE 45-minute performance workshop, featuring a local performance poet. All youth are welcome; pizza provided.

AfA facilitators and local artists/performers guide the youth through poetry writing prompts and spoken word presentations to prepare them for their community performances.

Contact Courtney Chandler, Director of Programs at Art from Ashes for more information.

First Friday

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FirstFriday-postcard 2015Join us every First Friday in Denver’s Art District on Santa Fe for youth spoken word performances at different venues on Santa Fe Dr. between 6.30 and 7 p.m. (during summer we will be performing on the corner of 9th and Santa Fe).

Much more than a public performance, youth gather at Art from Ashes at 4.30 for a FREE one-hour Phoenix Rising writing wordshop, followed at 5.30 by a FREE 45-minute performance workshop, featuring a local performance poet. All youth are welcome; pizza provided.

AfA facilitators and local artists/performers guide the youth through poetry writing prompts and spoken word presentations to prepare them for their community performances.

Contact Courtney Chandler, Director of Programs at Art from Ashes for more information.

Intermediate Workshop: Synesthesia

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afa-adult-workshopsINTERMEDIATE-1 (starts Feb 11)

Please note new start date!

SYNESTHESIA :: The Art and Science of Perception (must have completed the Introductory Session)
Poetry prompts will focus on each of the five senses, using science and creativity to illuminate the role of experience and expectation in our lives. By deliberately managing your perceptions, you can choose to perceive yourself and what happens to you differently. Discover how powerful your life can be, when you begin to influence reality by changing your perceptions!
:: Saturdays from 11 am to 12.30 pm, Feb. 11 – March 18 with Catherine O’Neill Thorn
$175 payment due by Feb 4 :: pay by check, cash, call us with credit card information, swipe or pay online with Paypal (below)
*You don’t need a Paypal account to pay through Paypal
Choose which series


Introductory Adult Workshop: Creative Genius

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afa-adult-workshopsINTRODUCTORY (starts Jan 24)

Reigniting Your Creative Genius
The Phoenix Rising process is designed to allow participants to recognize their inherent creative power and how perception affects our identity and our reality. Art from Ashes uses the latest research in left-brain/right-brain functioning and the role of creativity in transformation to encourage participants to access the creative subconscious and the power available through artistic expression.
:: Tuesdays from 6 to 7.30 pm, Jan. 24 – Feb. 28 with Catherine O’Neill Thorn
$175 payment due by Jan 18 :: pay by check, cash, call us with credit card information, swipe or pay online with Paypal (below)
*You don’t need a Paypal account to pay through Paypal

Choose which series

We Moved!

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10th-navajoFor 13 years Art from Ashes has proclaimed the power of words — a power that is evident in the transformed lives of the youth we serve. This year, and especially these past several weeks, we have seen the power of hateful words to be very real, especially in the political arena. And that negative power hit home for Art from Ashes in a very real way, too. The rhetoric of fear has infected our relationship with our landlord. Formerly an ally, he has made it clear he can no longer support our stand for racial justice. Because of this tension and his unreasonable demand for a $1000 a month rent increase, we cannot continue to serve the youth in our current space.

Fear breeds fear, and we were terrified. We had no idea where to go so quickly or where we would find a place our small agency could afford. Art from Ashes staff and volunteers helped turn 853 Inca St from an ugly warehouse to the warm and comfortable place is has been for us, for the volunteers, for the community, and most importantly, for the youth for nearly 10 years.

But Art from Ashes handles fear with faith.

We had faith in our community, and our community rose to the occasion. The Denver Housing Authority is providing a welcoming home for our diverse population. We will be moving into the space at 10th and Navajo on December 29th–30th!newspace-2

The young people impacted by bigotry and abuse need us more than ever, because they also are angry, afraid and feeling unheard. Thanks to your vital support over the years, the generosity of our funders, the hard work of our staff, board and volunteers, and the good people at Denver Housing Authority, AfA will continue to give the youth the opportunity to be heard, because we know their creative power will transform the world for good.

Some think our country is moving backward, but Art from Ashes is pushing forward. Will you move forward with us?

Please let us know if you are willing to support our work with youth (in a new place in a new year!)

Thank you to all our volunteers for helping us move! Look forward to our upcoming “Illuminate” homewarming, gallery opening, and youth performance!

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Re-Live Running of the Gays 2016!

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About 60 fabulous runners came out this September for our seventh annual Running of the Gays event donned in boas, high heels and glamorous skirts to support Denver’s LGBTQ youth. All money raised at the event was put towards empowerment programs for youth at Voz y Corazon, a Mental Health Center of Denver organization providing suicide prevention services for youth, many of whom identify as LGBTQ+.

Our youth poets performed, local drag queens hosted the festivities and dozens of local Denver residents strutted the streets to celebrate the empowerment of Denver’s LGBTQ+ youth.

Art from Ashes has a long and involved history of supporting LGBTQ+ youth, a group often overlooked and silenced in society. In fact, 97.1% of youth involved in AfA programs affirm feeling safe, and 97.4% affirm they trust facilitators, both key elements in suicide prevention.

Of course, just because the work is serious doesn’t mean we can’t have fun! Check out our slideshow of some of our best moments from this year’s event. Next year, experience the fun and whimsy yourself and join us!

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