Atlas Programs

At Atlas, we provide a safe space for high school students to gain a better understanding of themselves through art. Our free programs meet 5:30-7:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays during the school year, for eight weekly sessions. Give your high schooler the opportunity to let their creavity soar at Atlas!

Learn about our current teen program offerings. You can sign up for as many programs as you'd like, but we are looking for teens who can make a commitment to all nine weeks.


 

Winter 2019 Programs (January 28-March 25)

What Had Happened: The Art of Storytelling
Mondays | 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Program Description: A writing and storytelling performance program that uses paper, pen, our voices to tell stories like none other.

Comedy 
Tuesdays | 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Program Descriptions: Comedy gets you out of your head and is an invaluable skill in any writing or performance art form. Most importantly, it's super fun!

Digital Selfies 
Wednesdays | 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Program Descriptions: Using digital media and photography, students will create life size stencil portraits depicting their true selves.
 

Fall 2018 Programs 

Dream Sculptures
September 24th to December 3rd
Mondays 5:30-7:30 p.m. 
Leader: Lemuel David | Assistant: Rashana Miller
Program Description: Teens will explore their identity, by analyzing their dreams and exploring how our subconscious reflects the conscious. Using found and recycled objects teens will craft a mixed media sculptures that reflects who they are in their dreams and reality.

Poetry: Portraits of Me
September 25th to December 4th
Tuesdays 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Leader: Michelle Dodd | Assistant: B Lovee
Program Description: Through poetry teens will explore finding themselves as well as what it means to be yourself. Using prompts such as: What do I admire about personality? Who do I want to be in 10 years? How do I want to see/ see myself? Who are my role models, and how can my actions mirror theirs? And what is my power/ where is my power rooted?

Watercolor and Mindfulness
September 26th to December 5th
Wednesdays 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Leader: Emily Crews | Assistant: Haleigh Fitzpatrick-Owen
Program Description: Using watercolors as a way of explore mindfulness and how it can support teens in their everyday lives and in art. Teens will explore how the practice of mindfulness can help be more in control of their thoughts and feelings and how to be proud of their creations no matter what the journey was to get there.

 

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Teen Leadership Council
Our teen leaders are a special group of teens who are working on projects that develop their voice and leadership. For example, in 2016 the Teen Leadership Council participated in the 2016 RVA Street Art Festival working with Heide Trepanier on a mural arts program.  

We Believe in Young People

Each young person is a valuable part of our community. We promise to offer a supportive and nurturing environment, which allows our young people an opportunity to bring into being the beauty that exists within their creative spirits.

We Believe in Creative Expression

Everyone will be free to be an artist who can give birth to a masterpiece, because we recognize that innovation is the heartbeat of growth.

We Believe in Communication

We seek to provoke ideas and stimulate conversation that encourages self-awareness and expression of diverse perspectives, remove barriers of fear, create a better understanding of humanity, and illuminate hope.

We Believe in Compassion

We advocate kindness to heal division and resolve conflicts, because everyone has a right to be heard, to experience love, and to be treated with dignity and mutual respect.

We Believe in Community

We value the importance of collaborative relationships, which celebrate diversity. We recognize that by sharing together we're capable of making even greater creative contributions that can enhance the well-being and quality of life for the whole.

We Believe in Change

We embrace change as a gift that empowers young people to transform our world through creative expression. It provides opportunities to be passionately engaged in a natural process of learning, challenging complacency and discovering opportunities to live a meaningful life.