Summer institute with esperanza 2025
“home is where the heart is”
Art
Using the forms of drawing, writing, collaging, acting, vignettes, and puppetry students created artwork that reflected their deepened relationships with community, identity, and the meaning of “home”. Our teaching artists led conversations and activities about students’ relationship to the community, identity, and what it means to feel at home. The students took part in two workshops with guest artist Solyani Peña, in which they created drawings of scenes and objects that represented home to them.
Advocacy
Throughout the institute students’ explored the advocacy theme “Home Is Where the Heart Is”. During our field trip to Art Yard, our advocacy guest expert, Dr. John, from Lower Raritan Watershed Project, led students on a nature walk. They discussed finding a home in nature and what animals and trees need to feel at home. Teacher Lazarus did a photography project with Studio 3 where they captured images around New Brunswick that feel like home.
Community
Over the three weeks of institute, students considered; what makes them feel at home, how they can carry home in their hearts no matter where they are, how they can make others feel at home, and finally how they can give back to their home of New Brunswick.
Funding Provided by:
Rutgers Community Health Foundation
New Brunswick Tomorrow, Esperanza Neighborhood Project
Final Sharing | Comparto final
Friday August 22 2pm
viernes 22 de agosto 2pm
In person at Arts Institute of Middlesex County, 9 Livingston Avenue, 3rd Floor Exhibition Hall
New Brunswick, NJ 08901 OR on Youtube
En persona en la Arts Institute of Middlesex County, 9 Livingston Avenue, 3rd Floor Exhibition Hall
New Brunswick, NJ 08901 OR el enlace de youtube
Teaching Artists and Guests
A Look inside the Studio
Tie Dye!
Teachers Cecilia and Adriana helped students create fun personalized heart tie dye on their new coLAB Arts shirts
Field Trips!
We took a field trip to Art Yard in Frenchtown, NJ. Our advocacy guest, Dr. John, from LRWP led students through a nature walk.
Artist Workshops!
Guest artist Solyani Peña came in to work with each studio on “Home Is Where the Heart Is” projects. Soly is the artist behind our upcoming mural on the corner of Suydam and French St.
Meet Our Studios
Students were divided by age into 3 teams throughout institute.
Studio 1
Flowers
Hearts
POems
Studio 2
Collages
Studio 3
Pendants
Puppet Gallery