UICA, or the Urban Institute For Contemporary Arts, in Grand Rapids, Michigan is dedicated to fostering communication, collaboration and a sense of community through contemporary art. It sponsors art exhibitions, featuring local, regional and international artists and present concerts and performance arts events. Its 198-seat film theater features screenings of foreign films, alternative films and documentaries. But for all of this art-related activity, UICA may be best known for ArtWorks.
ArtWorks is a free art program for teens that’s nationally recognized for its quality. In fact, it was the only arts program in the Midwest to receive the 2011 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, an award presented by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, to honor programs that inspire creativity and artistic expression in students outside the regular classroom. It’s America’s highest honor for out-of-school arts and humanities programs.
ArtWorks is a job-training program for people ages 14 to 19 who are interested in the arts and aspire to be professional artists or designers. Its objective is to prepare students for life by developing their creativity, encouraging teamwork among them and motivating them to succeed in the important areas of life. Candidates for the program must complete an application and an interview.
ArtWorks involves students in community projects with sessions in the summer and in the fall and winter after school. Among the projects the students work on are T-shirt design, public sculpture and murals, costume design, jewelry design, graphic design and developing product lines for stores. One summer, the students completed a project for the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. Roberta F. King, vice president for public relations and marketing for that organization, reported that the participation of ArtWorks was a positive experience for her organization.
UICA has group tours not only for youth but for adults too. For instance both youth and adults will find the Introduction to Contemporary Art tour worthwhile. It helps participants understand what contemporary art is. The Art As Experience tour lets participates come to understand the difference between traditional fine art and contemporary art.
UICA, located at 2 Fulton West, is open Tuesday thru Thursday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. It’s closed Mondays. Admission is $5 for adults. Children five years and under can visit at no charge. Phone: 616-454-7000.