CREATIVIty=Wellness

Art Shelf feeds creative minds to cultivate wellness and empower imaginations by providing gateways to artistic experiences.

Art Shelf is poised to become a leading creative institution in society, with a mission deeply rooted in harnessing creativity as a vital source of wellness and resilience. We are dedicated to providing communities, families, and individuals across the globe with essential creative resources and sustained artistic programs, tailored to confront various social crises. Recognizing the transformative power of art supplies and creative materials, we aim to facilitate not just long-term life changes but also offer immediate relief during critical times. Our approach is informed by scientific research that highlights the role of creative engagement in reducing stress, preventing relapse, and combating mental health challenges such as depression and suicidal thoughts. In moments of crisis, timely access to creative resources can be life saving.

Art Shelf strives to eliminate the financial barriers to creativity, ensuring that the most vulnerable demographics have access to the tools they need. We stand by the belief that the ability to create and express artistically is a fundamental human right, integral to emotional healing, cognitive development, and the honing of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Our commitment is to level the playing field in a society where economic disparities too often dictate access to creative outlets.

Art Shelf is currently seeking start up assistance from amazing donors like you we will use these initial start up money to pay rent in community studio space/donation center, development, business license, business insurance, administrative costs, phone communication, and much more. 

Art Shelf is proud to announce that we have recently received status as a 501 (c)(3) and can accept donations of any kind in any amount. This is exciting news for us but we need your help getting the word out about Art Shelf and its mission.

During this time we are seeking volunteers to help with things like fundraising, running workshops, helping at creative events and working in the art strudio. If you are interested in helping in any way please shoot us an email and we can figure out the best way to grow together!

1. Get our applications for creative assistance paired with major food shelfs so families and individuals can apply for both emergency creative assistance and long-term creative 

programming. Our emergency packages will provide instructions on how to utilize creativity as a healing tool, how to get started using the materials, pamphlets that describes our mission and resources such as links to our online tutorials/programming. 

2. Get our applications paired with the department of corrections release planning services so people being released from prison have creative materials upon release to curve recidivism and relapse triggers.

3. Create donation sites for creative materials and art supplies to be donated to repurposed, most raw materials and general use materials/art supplies will be left at the sites for people in the community to grab as the need, larger creative donations will be processed and cataloged to either used in our community art spaces, or be given to applicants. (maybe a creative material thrift store at some point?)

4. Organize creative fundraising events/concerts/contests to support and fund our mission.

5. Establish studios/stores that act as distribution hubs, donations sites, community art spaces, Art Shelf work offices.