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Youth Artists Initiative (YAI)

Presented by the 18th & Vine Arts Festival Foundation
A pathway for young creatives to learn, express, and grow through art, culture, and community.

What Is the Youth Artists Initiative (YAI)?

The Youth Artists Initiative (YAI) is an arts education and mentorship program designed to support young people through hands-on creative learning, cultural storytelling, and personal development.

Rooted in the historic 18th & Vine District, YAI connects youth to Kansas City’s rich cultural legacy while helping them build confidence, creative skills, and pathways toward future opportunity.

YAI is part of the Foundation’s broader commitment to year-round artist support and serves as the youth education pillar of our upcoming Artist Resource Center (ARC).

YAI takes place during First Saturdays at Keystone

📍 Keystone Community Corporation
800 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108

🕒 Program Time:
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (before the public event begins)

⚠️ Important:
YAI is a reserved program block with limited capacity.
Advance RSVP is required.

❋ When & Where

YAI is designed for:

  • Youth and students interested in art, creativity, and self-expression

  • Middle school and high school–aged participants (unless otherwise noted)

  • Students connected through KCPS, charter schools, and partner organizations

  • Families seeking safe, structured, culturally grounded arts programming

No prior art experience is required.

❋ Who YAI Is For

YAI blends visual arts education with humanities-aligned reflection, helping students understand not just how to create—but why art matters.

Students develop:

  • Creative confidence

  • Artistic and technical skills

  • Critical thinking and reflection

  • Cultural awareness and storytelling ability

  • Communication and collaboration skills

❋ What Students Learn

Monthly Learning Tracks

Month 1

Foundations of Color & Self-Expression

Core Focus: Individual Art Projects

Students Learn:

  • Primary, secondary, and tertiary colors

  • Color mixing, value, and contrast

  • How color communicates emotion and meaning

Outcomes:

  • Finished individual artwork

  • Color theory understanding

  • Written or verbal reflection

Month 2

Creative Journaling & Visual Storytelling

Core Focus: Sketchbooks & Humanities Reflection

Students Learn:

  • Visual storytelling techniques

  • How artists plan ideas

  • Personal and cultural narrative expression

Outcomes:

  • Completed sketchbook pages

  • Visual narrative artwork

  • Artist statements

Month 3

Jewelry Design & Wearable Art

Core Focus: Jewelry as Cultural Expression

Students Learn:

  • Jewelry as history, identity, and symbolism

  • Design planning and craftsmanship

  • Safe tool use

Outcomes:

  • Wearable art pieces

  • Design sketches

  • Cultural symbolism explanation

Month 4

Group Art Project (Mural or Installation)

Core Focus: Collaboration & Community Storytelling

Students Learn:

  • Public art as history and storytelling

  • Teamwork and shared vision

  • Scale, composition, and planning

Outcomes:

  • Completed group artwork

  • Collective narrative statement

  • Collaboration skills

(Project type subject to site approval)

Month 5

Clay & Sculpture Basics

Core Focus: Form, Function & Cultural History

Students Learn:

  • Global clay and pottery traditions

  • Functional vs. expressive objects

  • Texture, form, and symbolism

Outcomes:

  • Clay sculpture or vessel

  • Written historical connection

Month 6

Portfolio Development & Youth Showcase

Core Focus: Presentation, Reflection & Legacy

Students Learn:

  • How to curate and present artwork

  • How to talk about their creative process

  • Public speaking and confidence

Outcomes:

  • Student portfolio

  • Artist statements

  • Public Youth Art Showcase for families and community

Why YAI Matters

Many young creatives lack:

  • Access to consistent arts education

  • Mentorship from working artists

  • Safe spaces to explore identity and expression

  • Exposure to creative career pathways

YAI exists to help close those gaps by offering:

  • Structured, recurring learning opportunities

  • Positive creative environments

  • Cultural affirmation and storytelling

  • Early exposure to creative industries

Access, Safety & Inclusion

YAI is committed to:

  • Creating a welcoming, inclusive learning environment

  • Supporting students of diverse backgrounds and abilities

  • Working with schools, families, and community partners

  • Ensuring accessibility wherever possible

If your student requires accommodations, please contact us in advance.

Teaching Artists & Mentors

YAI is led by professional artists and educators who are:

  • Actively working in the Kansas City arts ecosystem

  • Experienced in youth instruction and mentorship

  • Grounded in cultural respect, wellness, and accessibility

Our instructors include:

  • Visual artists

  • Community muralists

  • Teaching artists

  • Creative professionals

All instruction is guided by humans—AI is not used in instruction and does not replace teaching artists.