Are Kids Losing Creativity? How America’s Arts Education Crisis Could Affect Innovation, Mental Health, and the Future Workforce

In a world where the most respected careers are doctors, lawyers, engineers, and scientists, why should kids be encouraged to pursue art?  Despite drastic underfunding of the arts in U.S. schools — especially in communities with more non-white, low-income, and non-English speaking students — art education remains vital. Creative experiences help children thrive, benefiting their […]

by Lily Adams

Blind Potter Michelle Friedman Breaks Barriers

A rickety set of wooden stairs leads to the basement of the Evanston Art Center on Sheridan Road, where easy laughter and loud chatter fill the ceramics studio. It’s Tuesday morning, and “Intermediate/ Advanced Ceramics,” led by David Todd Trost, is in full swing. Many of the 10 or so students present have been in […]

by Maura Flaherty

Kids Who Make A Difference: Damiana Andonova

Damiana Andonova came to the North Shore from a small town in Bulgaria when she was in second grade. Her parents immigrated five years earlier. “We had sheep and goats,” she recalls. “To make do was difficult.” Her experience as an immigrant has given Damiana a broad worldview and a strong desire to give back—a […]

by Jennifer Speaker