Arts Access

Minnesota Center for Book Arts introduced the book arts to 48 underserved youth participants in transition out of troubled homes and who would not otherwise have the opportunity. Minnesota Center for Book Arts collaborated with Minneapolis Metro SJ, the alternative public school component of St. Joseph’s Home for Children. Minnesota Center for Book Arts residency introduced the teens to marbling, printing and binding, met curricular goals, and deepened the knowledge and skills of Metro SJ teachers. Minnesota Center for Book Arts taught five groups of youth from various grade levels: 1 primary, 1 intermediate, 2 residential high school, and 1 high school shelter group. This final group is a fluid population that changes daily; total youth served was 8 rather than 10 anticipated. Each group met 10 times over a 5-week period for a residency total of 50 sessions. Outcomes measured from written evaluations by participating students, and from continued interest: Metro SJ’s staff is eager for Minnesota Center for Book Arts to return in 2014 and expand to involve all of St. Joseph’s youth, from grades 2 through 12. 2: Minnesota Center for Book Arts residency removed barriers of cost, transportation and access to unique learning experiences through its specialized equipment and book arts expertise. Each group of Metro SJ’s youth completed 3 to 5 books depending on Metro staff’s plans and time constraints. Minnesota Center for Book Arts aligned the projects with each group’s focus, such as when youth working on a science project produced volcano books. At the end of the residency, all of the participants created hardcover 8-1/2 x 11-inch journals bound with their own marbled paper endsheets and secured by a screw-post binding. The journals hold each participant’s creative writing as well as allowing the addition of sheets for continued use. In addition to building skills, Minnesota Center for Book Arts collaborative workshops with our partner organizations address the unique emotional needs of disenfranchised youth. In this case, every participating Metro SJ youth owns a journal that honors their written self-expression and embodies new artistic skills.