MISSION

Youth Art Connection works with diverse, talented artists 30 and under, meeting them “where they’re at” and helping them grow arts-based businesses, social impact projects.

YAC uses an experiential arts education approach to carry out workshops, an ongoing artist HUB, art festivals and public forums that empower young people facing financial and social barriers to build skills, confidence and knowledge related to their creative art practices.

Our programming builds on the passions, talents and skills of young hip hop artists, painters, dancers, drawers, digital artists and more.

Our programs engage and attract youth from a wide range of backgrounds. specifically WE engage Mi’kmaq youth, Black youth, LGBTQIAP2+ youth, new immigrants, young women and youth living in both urban and rural areas.

YAC typically works in partnership with other organizations and groups to amplify our impact, and to ensure program alumni have opportunities to stay connected to arts-driven action and entrepreneurial networks in their own communities.

YAC’s youth-driven, partner-centred, innovative approach addresses a major gap in the province of engaging young creatives with entrepreneurial and social change ambitions in building careers and opportunities where often few exist in their own communities.

There is a large and growing community and network of YAC alumni, with the skills and awareness of how to engage with agencies like The Culture Link, Music Nova Scotia, Arts Nova Scotia, FACTOR Canada, SOCAN, Visual Arts Nova Scotia, Neptune Theatre, NSCC, NSCAD and a wide range of private enterprises to activate their arts-based entrepreneurial and social change potential.

In 2012 YAC’s Co-founders Ryan Veltmeyer and Ann Denny collaborated to start Youth Art Connection(YAC). Being professional artists and entrepreneurs, Ryan and Ann knew well the struggle of trying to live a life as a creative professional, but also that with the right skills, knowledge and networks it was possible.

After working with Arts Express at J.L. Ilsley Highschool in Spryfield in 2010/2011, YAC’s Co-founders realized that the struggle of building a life and career around creative talents was magnified for young people from marginalized communities. Some of the most talented young artists they met had no support for leveraging their incredible talent to build a productive and prosperous future. In particular many youth spoke to facing systemic barriers connected of their race, gender, sexual orientation, mental and physical health and economic background.

Inspired by organizations like the Michaëlle Jean Foundation(Ottawa), The Remix Project(Toronto), Sketch(Toronto) & The Arts Network for Children and Youth(Toronto), YAC’s Co-founders created an organization focused on addressing the lack of support and infrastructure for emerging artists in Nova Scotia, especially those from marginalized backgrounds. It quickly became apparent that this challenge was not one YAC could address alone. Because of this YAC has focused on partnerships with other grass roots organizations, professional organizations and educational organizations that make up Nova Scotia’s creative economic infrastructure. In partnership with many groups throughout the province YAC has consistently and successfully worked to support young creative leaders and entrepreneurs to access and integrate existing infrastructure and to create and lead their own initiatives.

A growing community of empowered and active young artists & alumni have emerged and are making their mark in professional art scenes across Nova Scotia and increasingly across Canada. Our staff and alumni are sought after not only for their artistic excellence, performances and art shows, but as thought leaders, speakers at conferences, consultants for professional arts organizations, educators for schools and other community groups, and each day bring more awareness and support to a new generation of artists, creative entrepreneurs and community leaders, especially from groups under represented in Nova Scotia’s creative & economic sectors.