Inspired by Armando Franco’s Mural Project on our building in 2022, 6th Street Studios & Art Center built a Youth Mentorship Program to nurture, and grow the artistic skills and confidence in local at-promise youth by collaborating with professional artists/designers, and youth organizations. By building relationships and offering this program to the clients and youth of local non-profits, we are strengthening our community and using art to heal and build a better community. The first year of the YMP was funded by the Gilroy Foundation in 2022, and the 2023-2024 year is funded by the California Arts Council.
Summer 2023
The late summer session of 2023 will bring an YMP session taught by Tahoe Native Charly M. For this session, Charly will work with 5-7 at-promise youth to complete a large mural on Railroad Alley behind Garlic City Embroidery. This session is funded by the California Arts Council JumpSTART Grant.
Starting in June of 2023, 6th Street Studios & Art Center will collaborate with Digital Nest in bringing to Gilroy a Digital Media Production Basics with the executive director of Visit Gilroy, Frank Johnson. Digital Nest has graciously provided equipment on loan for Frank and 3 youth from Digital Nest. This session will culminate in a public presentation TBD. The session is sponsored by the California Arts Council.
Spring 2023
Our second session of Fall 2022 was delayed by 6 months due to weather, and will begin in May of 2023. Local arts non-profit M.A.N.O.S (Mexican-American Nurtured Opportunity Services,) will mentor 10 local at-promise youth in the field of mural painting over the course of 8 weeks behind Downtown Furniture on Railroad Alley. The mural will be unveiled August 18th during the 3rd Friday Art Walk. This session is funded by the Gilroy Foundation.
We work with vetted, professionals in art and design fields who are background checked before working with the youth. The program offers 18+ hours of free instruction and mentorship to the youth, who work in small groups with the mentor. This program is part of our goal to inspire and support artists from cradle to career. If you are interested in becoming a mentor, and would like to learn more about this paid opportunity, please e-mail info@6thstreetartstudios.org. We are always looking for professionals in ALL fields of Art & Design including Landscape, Architecture, Film, Digital Arts, and more.
If you are interested in this program for your youth, or are part of a youth organization, please e-mail info@6thstreetartstudios.org.
Fall 2022
The Youth Mentorship Program launched in the Fall of 2022 with a collaboration with the LGBTQ+ Youth Space of Santa Clara County. Professional Illustrator Noah Hayes worked with two at-promise youth for 6 weeks in the field of illustration, and animation. The final project was displayed in May of 2023 in our Window Gallery. This session was funded by the Gilroy Foundation.
About the Mentor: Southern born, west coast raised, Noah Hayes dabbled in aspirations of paleontology and geochemistry before realizing that he could make art instead, which was obviously the more sensible choice. Drawing on a childhood love of comics, he received his BFA in Illustration from Ringling College of Art and Design shortly after landing his first job with BOOM! Studios’ Goldie Vance. With a steadily growing online following, he has been featured in a number of galleries and zines, and he currently works on an unannounced project.