Shopfront Arts Co-op

About

Shopfront is the home of youth arts. Since 1976, we have provided a welcoming safe space for Young People to grow their creativity, confidence and community. Shopfront’s process of collaborative art-making is empowering, inclusive, accessible and transformative; unlocking potential and pure joy.

Welcoming, encouraging and supporting Young People aged 8-26 to make bold and ambitious works of creative expression. We are committed to equity of access for ALL Young People through Creative Skills Workshops, Performance Opportunities, Mentoring and Outreach Programs.

In 2022 to date, Shopfront has engaged with 1380 Young People with a combined total of 7508 participations. Of these Young People, 34% come from a CALD background, 59% are female and 15% live with disability and/ or mental health diagnoses. In addition, 199 enrolments have been financially supported by scholarships.

Program donations fund:

Shopfront will provide 55 full term scholarships to support 55 Young People to flourish whilst finding their voice. Young People living with disadvantage have been disproportionately impacted by Covid. By removing barriers to participation, 55 Young People will experience much needed post pandemic joy as they improve their key 4cs of education (critical thinking, creative thinking, communicating, and collaborating) through unrivalled creative learning in the home of youth arts.

We aim to provide 55 full term creative learning scholarships. Without this support for the first time in 7 years, Shopfront will be unable to provide vital community scholarships.

These Young People we support are aged 8-18 living with disadvantage will have access to a combined total of 440 hours of creative learning delivered by expert facilitators within a safe, inclusive welcoming space. We aim for the participants to foster transferable life skills of communication, collaboration, cooperation and critical thinking through creativity. As well giving them access to skilled professionals trained in Mental Health First Aid, Accessibility Awareness and Cultural Safety. We have seen in the past with our evaulations a minimum 89% of participants report an increase in confidence, creative skills and community connections and we hope to give that to the 55 participants with your support.