Giving Back Magazine June 2018 | Page 74

Children Mass Creativity THINK. PLAY. COMUNIDAD. T he New Children’s Museum downtown is expanding its community outreach and engagement to include three efforts designed to impact local communities and stimulate, cultivate and nurture creativity. “ Now in its sixth year, our Mass Creativity program has touched the lives of more than 13,000 children and their families,” Tomoko Kuta, Deputy Museum Director shared with Giving Back Magazine. “Its success has enabled us to secure funding and expand our reach into the community.” Mass Creativity offers collaboratively- designed art workshops throughout the County and culminates in a free all-day festival at the Museum. This year’s partners include the Barrio Logan College Institute, Casa Familiar, The San Diego LGBT Center, Skyline Hills Branch Library (in partnership with Asian Pacific Islander American Community Actions (APICA) and Made in Paradise Hills), Solutions for Change, South Bay Community Services and the Southern Sudanese Community Center. Mass Creativity Day is June 23. Funding for Mass Creativity is provided in part by the City of San Diego, Cox Communications, The Hearst Foundations, Las Patronas, One San Diego, Darlene Shiley, Southwest Airlines and U.S. Bank. 74 GBSAN.COM | JUNE 2018 Mi Familia, Mi Historia is a collaboration with Casa Familiar and UCSD’s Institute of Arts and Humanities, engaging Latino/a families, including underserved families. The program offers creative activities that revolve around oral history, family stories and narrative art-making. Funding is provided in part by California Humanities, a nonprofit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, The Hearst Foundations and Darlene Shiley. Comunidad is a two-year program that builds on Mass Creativity with increased creative activities and professional development opportunities. Comunidad includes Casa Familiar and South Bay Community Services during its first year, and Barrio Logan College Institute and the Southern Sudanese Community Center in its second year. Funding was provided by the Institute of Library and Museum Services (IMLS), The Hearst Foundations and Darlene Shiley. The New Children’s Museum is an arts- based children’s museum focused on early learning through exposure to art and play. Part of the San Diego community since 1983, the Museum is celebrating its 35th year in San Diego and its 10th year as The New Children’s Museum.