UPDATES / TIMELINE (below)
Download our latest brochure
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November 19-23: The Art of Discovering: Re-defining Art Therapy Within the Context of Ugandan Culture
Madelene Griffin, MAAT, Meg Wolf, MAAT and Gloria Bernard, BA
In 2007, a small group of artists and art therapists traveled to Southwest Uganda with an organization called Project FOCUS and implemented four pilot projects intending to educate, empower and inspire through art. This workshop explores their discoveries during a challenging 5-month journey using images, personal narratives, and examples of artwork created with local materials.
You can find out more general information here www.aataconference.org
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August 23 2008 / Funky Buddha Lounge Fundraiser.
When: Saturday, August 23, 2008 : 6 - 10 PM.
Where: Funky Buddha Lounge. 728 W. Grand Ave. Chicago
Why: To fund-raise for Project FOCUS to send a long-term volunteer for one year to Uganda, East Africa.
Project FOCUS Timeline / Past, Present, + Future Event.
July 24 2008 / Recent ProjectFOCUS involvement.
On June 14th, Project FOCUS Boston participated in a networking social event in Roxbury, MA, hosted by Ugandan-American Ssanyu Nutt-Birigwa. We displayed our three HIV/AIDS quilts made by groups from Lyantonde, and were able to speak briefly about our philosophy and experience working in Uganda. Photographs of our process were also shown, and people had an opportunity to sign up to receive more information. Through this event we were able to meet many wonderful and interesting people with whom we are excited to work with in the future, in preparation for our larger exhibition in the Fall. A BIG thanks to Ssanyu, who invited us to her event and we look forward to many more collaborations with her!
The Bear Hug Campaign (2006)
Four students inspired by the documentary film Invisible Children decided to travel to Uganda. Before the trip, they began an awareness campaign called "Bear Hugs for Uganda" on University of Illinois campus and the streets of downtown Chicago in the hope of inspiring compassion with warm hugs, upbeat music, and the support of vocal friends.
Trip to Uganda (June - August 06)
With money raised from the Bear Hug campaign and donations from friends and family, Harish Patel, Daniel Yang, Aura Brickler and Jennie Oberkrom traveled to Uganda for two months, working with local community-based organizations across the country.
The FOCUS Exhibit and Discussion Series (January 13 - February 16, 2007)
After returning with more than 2000 pictures, Project FOCUS created the FOCUS Exhibit at UIC that explores life in the slums of Kampala, Uganda through photographs taken by 16 Ugandan youth. A series of weekly discussions on the topics of inequality, health, education, work and play engaged professors, students, community members and professionals in active dialogue with themes that emerged from the exhibit.
International Youth Volunteerism Summit (February 23 – 25, 2007)
The International Youth Volunteerism Summit at Northwestern University aims to inspire passion among students for global engagement, to critically challenge their place in the world, and to help develop the knowledge, skills, resources, and connections to maximize their impact on global problem solving. The FOCUS Exhibit will be displayed in Northwestern University and members of Project FOCUS are invited to share their vision at the summit. We learned a lot about other volunteer organizations and their projects while sharing our own projects goals and ideals.
Idealist Campus Conference (March 23 – 25, 2007)
The Idealist Campus Conference was a gathering of students, campus staff and nonprofit professionals who are part of a global network of practical dreamers. The conference was hosted by DePaul University and members from Project FOCUS participated in the conference as discussion-group facilitators.
Evansville FOCUS Festival (April/May, 2007)
Project FOCUS organized a film, arts, and music festival in Evansville, Indiana in collaboration with local artists, students and social activists. The festival showcased art and music with an emphasis on human rights and social justice. Hundreds of students from across the Midwest and local residents attended and participated in the celebration of global awareness and collaboration.
Funky Buddha Lounge – Goodbye party (June 8, 2007)
The members of Project Focus invited all their family, friends, and supporters to come say goodbye to the members who would be going to Uganda for the following couple of months. There was a community art projects as well as a large turn out, and Project FOCUS raised money to help for the cost of living in Uganda.
Uganda- the second trip (June – December 2007)
Thirteen members of the project FOCUS team, including art therapists, a photographer, and a sound engineer went to Uganda with intentions of working with a local Community Based Organization, in Lyantonde- (a rural district in southwestern Uganda.) For the first couple of weeks, they worked on making connections, learned about different communities, and held a photo exhibit for the original photographers from the first trip. They made many new connections, and are working with many Ugandan organizations. Six members of the project FOCUS team are still in Uganda, running art programs and classes in Lyantonde and Kampala, and everyone will return by 2008.
Global Philanthropy Conference (September 23 – 24 2007)
Project FOCUS was invited to exhibit their work and participate in a panel discussion at the Visionary Leadership in Global Philanthropy Conference hosted by the Chicago Global Donors Network. The 'Art and Media Open Space' designed by Project FOCUS in collaboration with the Northwestern Center for Global Engagement explored art and media as tools for youth engagement The exhibition tried to tell a story of youth engagement, while trying to set a high standard for “Responsible Media.”