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Visit Shuman Center at Constructon Junction

Visit Shuman Center at 3 Rivers Arts Festival with Construction Junction

Visit Shuman Center at Habitat for Humanity

 Visit Gerry Florida and Shuman Center on Facebook / Pittsburgh Society of Artists

Visit Shuman Center Billboard Project on Allegheny County Website

Visit Shuman Center  / Enough Violence/ Society for Contemporary Craft on Allegheny County Website 

Visit Shuman Center Enough Violence and Preventative  Programs 

Studio Blue Newsletter is here!

Shuman Studio Blue Newsletter January 2018

Shuman Stuio Blue Newsletter May 2017

Shuman Studio Blue Newsletter February 2017

Newsletter February 2017 Page 2 

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It’s Official! Our Studio Blue Logos

Studio Blue at Shuman LOGOS (1)

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More News!

A Proud Community Project of Shuman Juvenile Detention Center and Florida Recycled

“Why Art?” Billboard

Shuman Juvenile Detention Center has partnered with Florida Recycle to officially launch its newest community service project the “Why Art?” billboard that will soon be seen traveling Port Authority buses in targeted Pittsburgh areas. A series of bus billboards, affording at risk populations a voice in addressing the necessity of arts in our lives and culture, will be officially launched through generous grants and private donations.“  Twelve Port Authority billboard announcements positioned throughout targeted city areas will proudly parade the city in the upcoming year answering the question of  “Why Art?” through imagery. The first billboard will hit Pittsburgh streets in the East Liberty area.  One third of the billboard will humbly ask the question “Why Art?” as the other two thirds will showcase a beautiful poster created by Shuman Center residents answering the question boldly with the word:

“Because!”

The first billboard, artfully created by former resident Lindsey G. while detained at Shuman Center in 2016  and who also received an Honorable Mention in the Carnegie Library Labsy Award 2016, will be presented in February 2017 on a Port Authority East Liberty Area bus..

Consecutive blank coloring posters will be created through the courtesy Shuman Center by Shuman Center, Lindsey G. and other Shuman residents.  Once the posters size templates are completed, they will travel the units of Shuman Center where 50-70 residents have an opportunity to participate in a collaborative coloring effort requiring, patience, planning and teamwork.  Additionally, black and white poster templates created at Shuman Center and Lindsey G. will be gifted to organizations such as Spectrum Charter School (who services challenged youth), The Society for Contemporary Craft, the Western Pennsylvania School for the Blind as well as others who are invited to participate in our community sharing, exchange and partnership efforts giving Shuman Center residents opportunities to service their communities in unconventional creative ways.

Future billboard contributors have the option to originate an art question that will be answered by photos or pictures created by participants.

Just to note, the coloring craze offered a great springboard to this project bringing this sedating activity into the lives of adult populations. residents who self-identified as having “no art” ability now enjoy the calming effects of coloring as well as actualizing their color, technique and composition abilities. The changed self-perception invites a willingness to experience other creative and academic outlets while appreciating the value creativity brings into their own lives.

Shuman Center residents have been coloring and creating posters for the past seven years and selling them at local, state and national fundraising events with 100 percent of proceeds benefiting the Humane Society of Western Pennsylvania!

 

“Why Art?” Billboard Project Benefits:

• Dilutes the stigma attached to at-risk populations and addresses delinquency issues in a more positive light. The goal is to bring public awareness to the talents of at-risk populations and create opportunities to identify and redirect the valuable skills and abilities youth possess in hopes of getting more opportunities “for” youth who face challenges and in turn get more community involvement “from” youth who face challenges.
• Provides importance, worth and empowerment opportunities for at risk populations while affording opportunities to play a strategic role in addressing important art budget issues bringing the problem ground floor. The project renders a means to make voices heard and talents visible while championing pride in creating better awareness for the arts in their own communities.
• Provides a community service venue by partnering with alternative schools in a combined mission to promote arts in education. The project creates opportunities to participate in a public service message, collaborate with other institutions and create a user friendly understanding of the importance of art… all to benefit people, education and communities.
• Changes the stigma of delinquency to “youth in crisis” by depicting at risk groups as talented individuals necessitating more creative opportunities with the help of willing community members interested in solving the problems of delinquency.
• Delivers arts awareness messages to communities addressing the necessity of art in our daily lives and opening thought on the ways we all use creative art products daily.
• Reminds the public of the importance of art education in developing innovative mindsets and the creative ability to think outside any given “box” and how creative ability translates into various art necessary careers such as music, writing, theatre, set design, comic books, nail design, culinary arts, interior design not to mention innovative business ideas, advertising campaigns, design engineering, fundraising events, wedding planning and the many ways we cannot escape the use of art in our daily lives.
• Affords opportunities to showcase powerful young talent and remind the public of the valuable human resources we stand to lose by lack of community involvement in finding alternative solutions for the problems facing people and at-risk populations.
• Simply a sedating, creative and fun activity for ages!!

Within the first two months of the projects inception in November 2016, eleven Port Authority billboards have been generously funded through; The Craftsmen’s Guild of Pittsburgh (7 billboards); The Pittsburgh Foundation  / Maria Piantanida Fund (3 billboards); John Oravik Industrial Mechanical Consulting (1 billboard); and Laura Horner (1 billboard).

The Mission of Florida Recycled is to continually motivate inspirational thought through the imaginative voice of all people and incite individuals to self-discover artistically with the hope that reflections instilled through creative training helps people envision a world we don’t seek to destroy but feel privileged to live in and create.

 

Look for our billboards on Port Authority buses throughout the city!

Coming Soon To Your Area!!!

A Proud Partnership Project of:

Shuman Juvenile Detention Center

&

Florida  ReCycleD

Pittsburgh, PA

This project has been supported by Allegheny County Shuman Juvenile Detention Center, The County Commissioners of Pennsylvania, The Juvenile Detention Association of Pennsylvania and The National Partnership for Juvenile Services.