THE GOODLANDS COMMUNITY ARTS PROGRAM
The Goodlands®
Photography provides young people with a tangible skill as
well as a constructive means to focus upon the many assets
of their neighborhood. The images produced by children
are powerful, capturing the hope, vibrancy, and playfulness
they perceive through their photographic lens.
"If
you can imagine and see a community in a different way, you
can create a community in a different way."
Reverend Patrick Cabello Hansel
Former
Executive Director, Centro Nueva Creacion
MISSION
Developed
in 2000, The Goodlands® builds hope in Fairhill and West
Kensington by encouraging children to see and create beauty
in their neighborhood through the teaching of the fundamentals
of photography.
VISION
To
use the transformational power of art to challenge peoples'
negative perceptions of Fairhill and West Kensington and thus
improve the quality of life for those residing there.
HISTORY
North Philadelphia
has been stigmatized by the media for years as "The Badlands"-
a region ridden by drugs, crime, and poverty. Perpetuating
a stereotype of a neighborhood as an unlivable, undesirable
place to be takes its toll on the the people who reside there,
particularly the young people.
The
Goodlands® Community Arts Program was created to build
artistic talent in young people and to counter negative misconceptions
of Fairhill and West Kensington as "The Badlands".
Over
the years hundreds of children in The Goodlands® have
taken photographs that have been displayed in Philadelphia
at numerous exhibitions. Countless
exhibit attendees have been able to connect with young artists
and The Goodlands® community through these telling photographs.
Even
though some people still choose to stay away from our streets,
through the work of these young and aspiring artists, the
boundaries of fear and ignorance are slowly being eroded.
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