Share Your Gift as a Chula League BIG ARTIST

In this season of giving, most of us are thinking about the things we can buy, but I want to take the opportunity to talk to my artist friends about something less tangible. Have you ever thought about giving the gift of your time to an aspiring young artist? I can personally attest to the value of mentorship when considering the arts. This is not an easy business, but it's worth if you have help navigating the challenges. Think about the support you've gotten throughout your life as you explored art. For most of us, the journey starts when we are young, and without the right encouragement, we could have ended up going any other direction. While this may sound biased given my involvement in the local nonprofit Chula League, I am truly inspired by their Little Artist BIG ARTIST program. Built entirely around mentorship, this organization pairs professional artists with elementary school students who show promise in the arts for one-on-one art sessions. I highly recommend this opportunity if you have time in your schedule this coming spring! Find out more below.

Images from Chula League

Chula League is a local nonprofit focused on fueling and sustaining the arts in East Austin. Their main programming includes Little Artist BIG ARTIST, the Cherrywood Art Fair coming up in December and Professional Development Workshops for artists. They work with a wide range of artists across all media and at different stages in their career. I joined their board early this year for the chance to get more involved in positive impact they have on our community. While you may be all wrapped up in the holiday chaos this time of year, nows the time to think about becoming a BIG ARTIST in the spring. You can apply to be considered, and start the conversation with the Little Artist BIG ARTIST team to see if it's a good fit!


What's Involved in Little Artist BIG ARTIST?

• Local professional artists are paired with 5th graders for 10 weeks of mentorship.
• Pairs meet once a week for their art sessions to work on several final pieces.
• Little and BIG Artists meet at the elementary schools or artists' studios. 
• BIG ARTISTS guide their Little Artists in exploring their media of choice.
• Chula League provides a stipend to cover art supplies for Little Artists.
• AISD schools included Allison, Blackshear, Jordan, Maplewood, Oak Springs, and Winn.
• Two main works of art are created by the Little Artist over the spring.
• One piece goes how with the Little Artist as a keepsake.
• The other piece is auction off and proceeds given to the school art programs.
• At the end of the 10 weeks, there is a big show for Little and BIG Artist work.

Become a Big Artist