About Us
Art in the Neighborhood is a non-profit organization that empowers Southern Vermont youth to develop and express their full creative potential and become confident and active members of their communities.
We provide tuition-free and year-round visual arts classes to economically disadvantaged and culturally diverse youth in the Brattleboro area. All of our classes are taught by accomplished local artists. Read more about our programs.
History
Art in the Neighborhood was founded in 2008 by Mollie S. Burke, a Brattleboro artist, educator, and Vermont State Representative. After more than twenty years of teaching art and directing summer arts programs in public and private school settings, Burke set out to realize a longstanding dream to make high-quality arts enrichment accessible to all children in the community regardless of their circumstances.
Burke launched a pilot project in the summer of 2008 in the Clark/Canal community as an addition to the free lunch and activities program. The Wolf Kahn-Emily Mason Foundation provided initial funding for the pilot program that was matched by local businesses. Additional funding from the Vermont Community Foundation helped to expand the program to Westgate, a low-income housing community. In 2013, the program expanded to two additional low-income housing communities, Ledgewood Heights and Moore Court.
Funding & Partnerships
Art in the Neighborhood is generously supported by various foundations, community businesses, and individual donors who have made our continuity and growth possible. Foundation support has come from: the Wolf Kahn and Emily Mason Foundation, the Vermont Arts Council, the Vermont Community Foundation, the Thomas Thompson Trust, the Windham Foundation, the Bay and Paul Foundations, and others.
A number of businesses have also supported our work. They include New Chapter/Proctor and Gamble, the Brattleboro Savings and Loan, the Realtors Youth Benefit Fund, Ben & Jerry's, Foard Panel, and others. We have also received money from a generous private donor.
The Brattleboro Museum and Art Center served as Art in the Neighborhood’s fiscal sponsor until September 2014, when we received federal 501(c)3 non-profit status.
Interested in supporting our work? See our Get Involved page.