Milwaukee City Wire

Milwaukee Recreation is expanding its Creative Allies program to provide more arts opportunities for students in Milwaukee Public Schools. The initiative, in collaboration with the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) and UW-Milwaukee’s Peck School of the Arts, connects advanced art students with young learners to enhance their artistic skills.

The program aims to bridge gaps in schools where art and music opportunities are limited. Students engage with mentors from MIAD and UWM, learning various art disciplines and exploring new materials. Since its inception last year, the program has nearly doubled its reach, involving 11 art educators across 10 after-school sites.

Emily Camp, a student from MIAD working at Cooper Elementary School, sees the program as a way to combine her passion for art with teaching. “I’ve always wanted to try teaching,” Camp said. “Creative Allies was a good fit for me.”

Collaboration between MIAD and UWM educators and after-school staff is key to meeting site-specific needs. Darienne Hood, a recent MIAD graduate at Thurston Woods School, designed activities that blend storytelling with drawing. “The way that I help is through art,” Hood explained.

The initiative offers students an outlet for self-expression and skill development in teamwork, communication, and critical thinking. Camp noted the importance of providing students an opportunity to create something personal after a long school day.

Participants at Cooper expressed excitement about learning new art techniques each week. The program aims to provide equal access to quality art experiences by offering materials not available at home.

“I want them to have access to all of these things,” Camp said about teaching different techniques while encouraging creativity without rigid expectations.

The Creative Allies program offers mentorship opportunities alongside artistic development during after-school hours. Art educators like Izaiah Castillo (MIAD), Emily Camp (MIAD), Brittnie Reisinger (MIAD), Avery Aust (MIAD), Clementine Penner (MIAD), Ellee Spalding (MIAD), Darienne Hood (MIAD), Anna Mikula (MIAD), Connor Schuberth (UWM), Ashley Keegstra (UWM), and Olivia Brown (UWM) contribute significantly to nurturing Milwaukee's future artists.

“I just really love doing this,” Hood shared about witnessing students open up through their artwork.