Photo credits: Above: Ellis Luke. All others Marla Olivia Photography, unless otherwise noted.
Over 235 community members joined us in a joyful celebration at the Whim on Thursday, Sept 25 for The Art of You: Carrying It Forward! We were honored to celebrate with so many participants, educators, Teaching Artists, family members, partners, and supporters. From revisiting performance videos, photo exhibits, and paintings; to telling stories; throwing invisible balls; writing a poem together; and dancing our hearts out, it was a glorious way to send the spirit of creativity, inclusivity, and joy forward.
Enjoy these snapshots and recap of the event with pictures from Ellis Luke and Marla Olivia Photography.
Remembering and Reminiscing:
Social Hour and Scavenger Hunt
We reflected on the last 20 years with displays of paintings collaboratively created during Upstream Arts residencies, portrait photos from The Art of Me exhibits, projected videos from our Art of Me performances, activities, and photographs from our programming.
With a set of poetry prompts, visuals, and colorful hearts, attendees had the opportunity to share memories and experiences of Upstream Arts, including our classic prompt “Today I am feeling…” There was also an enormous heart suspended from the wall, made by Lillian Guidry using all of the thank you notes that participants and partners have shared with our Teaching Artists and staff over the years, which served as a photo station.
As we looked back, we also had a chance to practice looking forward, using the Upstream Arts’ Art of Consent card decks. With a selection shared on every table, these cards provide a way of sharing our curriculum beyond the life of the organization. Curated and created as part of our Art of Prevention work, the cards offer instructions on how to do various Upstream Arts activities in order to cultivate bodily autonomy, healthy relationships, creative interactions, and cultures of consent.
We reprised our Social Skills Scavenger Hunt, a bingo-like card offered at registration on the back of the program, which helped to guide guests through the space and served as a raffle. Attendees placed their completed bingo cards in the basket of their choice for a chance to win either the “Feed Your Creativity” or “Explore Your Imagination” prize packages. Huge thanks to our in-kind donors, who provided the prizes: Moon Palace Books, Wet Paint Artists’ Materials and Framing, Northern Fires Pizza, and Blick Art Materials.
Shout out to Victoria Pyan, volunteer extraordinaire, who has helped run our event registration tables for over a decade! She has been a welcoming presence and kept our welcome table flowing alongside staff and board members.
In addition to the raffle prizes for two lucky winners, everyone got to take home a gift of Upstream Arts merch. We had t-shirts and totebags in two designs: our reimagined “Disability is not a 4-letter word” option and, for the bold, our new “F*ck Ableism” design, both created by Stowe Silver. We were delighted to share these messages in wearable form. If you missed getting a shirt or tote at the event, or if you want a different item or version of the designs, you can purchase items in our merch store, which will remain open through October 10.
Our community was also invited to take Art of Consent card decks, Art of Relationships posters, and pins proclaiming the three tenets of Upstream Arts: “Assume Ability,” “Access is an Attitude,” and “Art = Advocacy.” With our typical sense of playfulness, we also invited everyone to take home an invisible ball, a classic and vital part of every Upstream Arts classroom.
We had delicious food catered from Brasa and a cash bar, giving everyone a chance to eat, drink, and be merry.
Huge thanks to our sponsors, who helped keep the event free and fully-accessible:
The Graham Smith Team; Pharos Employee Benefits; MSS; Merrick, Inc.; Carpenter, Evert & Associates; Amazeworks; Partnership Resources Inc.; Interact Center for the Visual and Performing Arts; Ideal Printers; and Marla Olivia Photography.
Speeches, Poetry, and Dance:
The Formal Program
At 7 pm, Teaching Artists transitioned us from the social hour to the formal program with one of the most quintessential Upstream Arts activities: mirroring. Board members handed out small red hearts on sticks, and community members matched each others’ movements as we came together for speeches, poetry, and dance.
Board Treasurer Tabitha Montgomery took the stage, first announcing the winners of the Social Skills Scavenger Hunt, then sharing an impassioned speech highlighting the inclusive spirit of our community and thanking the leadership team of Upstream Arts: Executive Director Julie Guidry, Artistic Director Matt Guidry, and Associate Executive Director Bree Sieplinga.
Founders Matt Guidry and Julie Guidry took the stage next, sharing gratitude to everyone who has, over the last 20 years, made Upstream Arts the incredible community it is today. Teaching Artists, Participants, Partners, Educators, Staff, and Supporters were each called on to raise their red paper hearts high as we acknowledged the beautiful humans who made this work happen.
Bottom right photo credit: Ellis Luke. All others photo credit Marla Olivia Photography.
Referencing the poetry prompts by the giant gratitude heart, the community then wrote a collaborative poem, with Julie collecting inspiration from the crowd as Matt scribed.
“Purple joy & snappy inspiration
Phenomenously included
Proud like blue tape horse
The flying lion is a love bridge
Supported risky weather
Enlightened in 20 below
Connection is an inclusive taco with a strong link.”
We ended the program by making a dance together, with individuals offering dance moves that quickly transformed into an energetic free-for-all dance party.
It was a truly beautiful event, overflowing with love and shared joy. As one attendee shared,
“What an amazing event last night! My mind is still reeling with all the positive vibes and love that surrounded everybody in the space. You thought of everything and everybody. But of course you would. That’s the way Upstream Arts operates. Thank you for all your years of love and service to a community that is often neglected. My daughter waved her heart on a stick with vigor and bounced right up to the dance floor at the end! You have brought her so much joy over the years.”
We’re grateful to everyone who celebrated with us at the Art of You, whether in person or in spirit. We’re especially grateful to be in community with all of the incredible people who have championed this powerful creative work for the last two decades and who now will carry it forward.
All photos credit Marla Olivia Photography unless otherwise noted.