Dear Supporters,
For the past three decades, Art From the Streets, an Austin-based non-profit organization, has been providing support for people experiencing homelessness. Our free open art studio offers a place for our artists to create and showcase their works, while also providing enrichment opportunities, art shows, and sales throughout the year. In 2021, we acquired our own studio at Canopy Austin, a community of artists, gallerists, and other creative types. As a result, our artists have experienced an even greater sense of security, place of belonging, collaborative effort, and quality of work.
Now that we have offered our artists a creative "home," we are focusing on building community through the cultivation of relationships between artists and our team, with community partners, and with the local professional artist community. AFTS fosters an environment for our artists to improve their well-being and independence while building connections within a broader positive community — a community that can uncover resources such as jobs, housing, and holistic support networks.
To fulfill our mission and support our talented artists, we depend on the kindness and generosity of our community to fund our operations. AFTS is thrilled to announce the 2023 "Give Art a Home" gala, which will take place on Wednesday, April 12th from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at The Cathedral, located at 2403 East 16th Street. Our goal is to raise $50,000 for critical operating expenses and future growth. Join us and connect with other passionate individuals who are committed to lifting artists from the streets of Austin into a place of creative community.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLhYY02OLzc
Thank you in advance for your support and we look forward to celebrating Art From the Streets with you on April 12th!
Sincerely,
Kelley Worden, AFTS Executive Director
Marla Johnson, AFTS Director of Development
REMINDER: Please pre-authorize your credit card after ticket purchase to expedite the check-in process at the event!
Live Auction Items
#1 Jodie King, Nova Color, Breathing Color, and AFTS Collaborative Art Piece
48x48" Acrylic and Mixed Media on Canvas
TITLE: "To Be Seen"
VALUE: $5,000
Collaborating with the talented artists of Art From the Streets, renowned local artist Jodie King has spent the last two months sharing her insights and inspiration, providing instruction, and working closely with them to create an exceptional piece. Thanks to the generous donations of canvases by Breathing Color and paints by Nova Color, Jodie and the AFTS artists have created a truly unique and stunning collaborative art piece that will be the highlight of our upcoming Live Auction.
From Jodie King: "The title TO BE SEEN implies two things:
1. Our greatest emotional needs are to be seen and heard. When I visited with the artists over the last few months, they deeply resonated with this.
2. To be seen... as in 'it remains to be seen.' We are never at our final destination until we are on our deathbeds. Before then, we all have the ability to rewrite our own stories. Where these folks currently see themselves is merely part of their story. What follows remains to be seen, but with the support of Art From the Streets, it's a future filled with hope."
#2 AFTS Artists Collaborative Art Piece
TITLE: "As One"
36x36" Acrylic, Marker and Collage pieces on Canvas
VALUE: $3,000
From Pat Chapman, AFTS Studio Coordinator: "What started as a small 5'x5' canvas for artists and volunteers to clean their brushes and experiment with techniques has evolved into a representation of who we are as a community. We envisioned a piece that would showcase the diversity of our artists and volunteers, each with their own unique style, color palette, and creative expression. The end result is a woven tapestry of color and creativity, a beautiful representation of our unity as a program."
