Arts Academy
Community Music Making
Making music in community, also known as “musicing” has proven to have a positive effect on at-risk youth (Cohen et al., 2018; Koopman, 2007). Community music making can have a powerful impact on the lives of at-risk youth, who for social, cultural, or financial reasons, are not able to develop their musical talents. It strengthens their sense of belonging, socialization skills, self-confidence, and empathy.
Summer Arts Encounter 2017
Artist Steve Henning works with students in Kunming, China in the summer of 2017.
During the summer of 2017, eight international music and art professionals joined our YaGe students in Kunming, China, for an amazing opportunity to experience the creative arts together!
Summer Arts Encounter 2019
Orphaned youth spent a week developing their artistic skills in 2019 while at the YaGe Community Arts Center in China.
A few years later, we offered this same Creative Arts Encounter experience to orphaned youth living in Guangxi, China. They traveled by train and spent the week at YaGe Community Arts Center, where they enjoyed participating in a community music and art experience!
Foster home students from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, LOVED creating watercolor paintings!
In the Fall of 2024, we hosted our Arts Academy 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand, with two groups of students.
GROUP #1: Students and teachers from a foster home in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, traveled by bus (a 14-hour journey) to experience their first Arts Academy! They had an amazing time participating in in-person music study and virtual art classes.
GROUP #2 Special needs students living in China studied music for the first time through virtual classes. These lessons continue each week as these delightful students learn rhythms, reading, and handbells!
Special needs students in southern China started their musical journey with virtual music classes.