Our Creative Mentors

Our mentors are extraordinary. They’re creative professionals and students working in all sorts of exciting fields — including advertising, graphic and interior design, film production, commercial photography, illustration, public relations, web design and architecture.

And because of their talent and experience, they’re uniquely qualified to help children express themselves creatively.

Our mentors introduce the kids to a broad range of creative careers, and show the kids it’s possible to make a good living by being creative. Most of the children have no idea that the logo on their sneakers — or the TV ad they’re watching — represents a JOB.

Our Kids

The children come from low-income families in Minneapolis, and most are kids of color. They’re an ethnically diverse group which includes African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, Asians and Somalis. They range in age from 8 to 11, and some speak English as a second language.

Our Stories - mentors, kids and teachers share their experience

Tricia

"My child was Somali, and spoke no English. At first she was very shy and timid, could not look me in the eyes, but by the second week, our language barrier seemed to disappear. I watched her open up like a flower and express herself confidently and joyfully, mostly without words.
As the weeks progressed, she opened up more and more, directing the project by taking my hand and dragging me to a box of supplies, or a piece of paper that she wanted to use. There was lots of laughing. It was so great to reaffirm that language isn’t the only way to communicate!"

Susan

"Even after years of learning in the field of advertising, I’m still learning from these kids."

Gretchen

"Kids who were having a horrible day—cussing, wrestling, goofing off—suddenly changed at the door to Art Buddies. I think it’s the one-on-one attention. They really need that."

Jay

"A smiling kid sure beats a client meeting."

Karyn

"My child wanted to be the ‘Anti-Drug Chief.’ His power was to keep people off drugs. For me, the anti-drug message has always been somewhat abstract. Drugs have not been a part of my life, or of anyone close to me.
But drugs were important to my Buddy, because his life had been profoundly affected by drugs. Someone very close to him was a recovering drug addict, so he had experienced first-hand the effects of drug use. I realized how privileged my life has really been, and how important it is to give back where or how I can."

Abdul

"Now I know you can be more than a basketball player. You can be a chef, a vet, even an art guy."

Sarah

"I will remember this forever and tell everyone I know about the program! The people you meet, the brainstorming that happens at such a young age is out of this world. This may sound hokey, but Art Buddies really put things in perspective for me. I couldn’t wait for Fridays!"

Christi

"My child wished we could do Art Buddies all day on Fridays. When I told her we’ll get to see each other next Friday, she said, “Do you KNOW how far away that is?"

Andrew

"I didn’t realize how much of a bond had developed between me and my child until Parade Day. My child greeted me with a gi-normous hug, and it made every hour spent before and after that much more precious."

Damon

"I want to sign up for Art Buddies again before they even have the signup sheet!"