Orphan Art

Orphan Art uses entertainment and interpersonal interaction to support the social development of orphans around the world. Specifically, in order to help orphans recognise their own potential, Orphan Art provides art supplies and interactive training. Personnel provide face-to-face instruction and guidance to the orphanage's personnel and the children to help them engage in the pleasure of creating works of art. The idea is that, by using the children's own artwork to generate revenue (which is then returned to the young artists), they become empowered to influence their own future.

The Orphan Art website is a key tool in introducing people to the images created by these children. Orphan Art then brings the artwork back to the United States in order to take it to a worldwide marketplace, and sell the artwork in various forms. Proceeds from the sales of the artwork are returned to the participating orphanages to allow them to further enhance the economic self-sufficiency of the children and their community.

In 2002, the organisation began facilitating student art teaching internships to participating orphanages. This initiative entails developing relationships with art colleges to offer a quarter abroad teaching art in one of the participating orphanages. Orphan Art provides a liaison to help with travel and initial classroom logistics for the visiting university students. Interns interact on a personal level with orphans, engaging them in the potentially enjoyable and meaningful process of creating art.

Another aspect of Orphan Art's strategy is enabling individuals who wish to volunteer their time to visit participating orphanages to spend a period of time, usually one or two weeks, teaching painting, pottery, music, and other forms of art through close connection with children living there. Individuals who wish to donate any other type of expertise will gladly be accompanied as well, if need be.

Children, Economic Development.

According to organisers, "Throughout the world thousands of children are existing in orphanages. Many of these children live in very remote regions, where everyday they are faced with severe economic disadvantages. Although the orphanages do their best to provide for these children, their resources are limited. The children's daily lives are often without beauty, art, and hope. Often the children have no idea that they hold within themselves the tools to express themselves and mold their views of their very existence. A sense of hopeless and helplessness often pervades their daily lives, and extinguishes the possibility of a brighter future. Orphan Art, Inc. seeks to remedy this situation by providing children with supplies to address their daily needs, coupled with the tools and knowledge to tap into their creativity."