Barat Foundation Inc

ARTS EDUCATION, ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAMS, AND DIY (DO IT YOURSELF) AT-HOME OR IN-SCHOOL ARTS MAKER KITS. PROGRAMS INCLUDE: ANIMODULE MAKING, DIY ANIMODULE MAKER KITS, MAKER SPACE, THE CREATION NATION ART & PEACE PARADE, AND MESSAGES THROUGH MURALS.ANIMODULE MAKING: THE ANIMODULE IS AN ORIGINAL URBAN ART FORM BORN IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, CREATED BY CHILDREN AND YOUTH UNDER THE DIRECTION OF PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS. IT IS A THREE-DIMENSIONAL "ANIMATED" "MODULE" SCULPTURE, FORMED BY NOTCHING TWO FLAT PLANES TOGETHER TO CREATE A THIRD DIMENSION. THE ANIMODULE CURRICULUM IS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY ARTS PROGRAM INCLUDING RESEARCH, VISUAL ARTS, LANGUAGE ARTS, AND MATHEMATICS AS STUDENTS WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE SOMETHING LARGER THAN THEMSELVES, AND BUILDING AN ENDURING ART PIECE THAT REPRESENTS THEIR COMMUNITY. ANIMODULES, WHICH AS NEWARK'S OFFICIAL PEACE AMBASSADORS, TRAVEL THROUGHOUT THE REGION BRING THEIR MESSAGE OF ART+PEACE+DIVERSITY = SOCIAL JUSTICE, TO FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS. THE ANIMODULE PROGRAM EMPLOYS NUMEROUS LOCAL ARTISTS WHO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THEIR VISION, PASSION AND EXPERTISE WITH YOUTH, WHILE PRODUCING AN IMPRESSIVE BODY OF WORK. THE ANIMODULE CURRICULUM IS IN RELATION TO AND IN SUPPORT OF AGE AND GRADE APPROPRIATE NJ CORE CURRICULUM CONTENT STANDARDS FOR THE ARTS. TO DATE OVER 70 ANIMODULES HAVE BEEN CREATED IN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.SOME HIGHLIGHTS: DESPITE CHALLENGING TIMES, THE FOUNDATION WAS ABLE TO CREATE 3 NEW ANIMODULES IN ACCORDANCE WITH STRICT COVID GUIDELINES, IN 3 HUDSON COUNTY SCHOOLS. THE PROGRAMS WERE SO SUCCESSFUL THAT THE BARAT FOUNDATION WAS AWARDED A SECOND GRANT TO CREATE AN ADDITIONAL 3 ANIMODULES IN 3 ADDITIONAL HUDSON COUNTY SCHOOLS FOR THE UPCOMING 2022-2023 ACADEMIC YEAR. IN ADDITION, TWO 8 FOOT ALUMINUM ANIMODULES WERE CREATED IN COLLABORATION WITH COLAB ARTS IN NEW BRUNSWICK, AND HAVE BEEN PERMANENTLY INSTALLED IN JOYCE KILMER PARK IN NEW BRUNSWICK WHERE THEY ARE VIEWED BY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE EACH DAY. 6 ANIMODULES WERE CREATED WITH HUDSON CTY PLUS ANOTHER 2 SCHEDULED FOR THIS YEAR. ALSO AN ANIMODULE CREATED FOR UCC - UNITED COMMUNITY CORP., ON PERMANENT DISPLAY IN A LOCAL PARK.SPECIAL EVENTS: TIMES SQUARE - INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE NYC: ANIMODULES, "AGENTS OF PEACE", ARRIVE IN TIMES SQUARE TO CELEBRATE EARTH DAY AND LEND THEIR SUPPORT TO UKRAINE'S STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM AND PEACE. ANIMODULE PROGRAM FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION - LONG ISLAND, NY: WE MADE A PUPPY ANI MODULE FOR AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION. WE JOINED COMMUNITY EVENT TO RAISE AWARENESS AND FUNDS FOR MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION AND SUICIDE PREVENTION EFFORTS. ANIMODULES AT THE NEWARK AIRPORT: AT THE INVITATION OF THE PORT AUTHORITY OF NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY, THE BARAT FOUNDATION PUT IN PLACE AN INSTALLATION OF STUDENT-CREATED ANIMODULE SCULPTURES AT THE ARRIVALS AREA AT TERMINAL B OF NEWARK LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE EXHIBITION, ACCOMPANIED BY SIGNAGE AND TWO VIDEOS RUNNING ON A LOOP EXPLAINING THE ANIMODULE PROCESS, WAS FIRST INSTALLED IN JANUARY 2014 TO GREET DIGNITARIES VISITING NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY FOR THE SUPER BOWL. THE EXHIBITION HAS BEEN SO SUCCESSFUL THAT THE PORT AUTHORITY REQUESTED THAT SEVERAL ANIMODULES REMAIN AT THE AIRPORT INDEFINITELY, AND CONTINUE TO WELCOME OVER 500,000 VISITORS TO THE NEW JERSEY/NEW YORK REGION ANNUALLY.DIY ANIMODULE MAKER KITS: THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC FORCED US TO DRAMATICALLY PIVOT OUR PROGRAMMING TO ADAPT TO THE CHALLENGE OF REACHING OUR TARGET AUDIENCE WITHOUT BEING PHYSICALLY PRESENT ON SITE. IN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC AND THE MASS CLOSING OF SCHOOLS, WE DEVELOPED A DIY STEAM ANIMODULE MAKER KIT TO REACH OUR TARGET POPULATION OF URBAN MIDDLE SCHOOL TEENS WHO WERE AND STILL ARE WORKING FROM HOME IN FRONT OF COMPUTER SCREENS FOR HOURS ON END. USING THE POWER OF ART TO ADDRESS TRAUMA, BUILD SELF-ESTEEM, AND PROMOTE CREATIVE SOLUTIONS, OUR DIY KIT IS BASED ON NATIONAL STEAM THEMATIC CURRICULUM STANDARDS. THE PROJECT INCLUDES THE DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF DIY (DO IT YOURSELF) ANIMODULE MAKER KITS ALONG WITH A TEACHER/PARENT/AIDE GUIDE, TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO SCHOOL SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. THE KIT INCLUDES AN ANIMODULE JOURNAL, DEVELOPED AS A SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING TOOL, A MINI-ANIMODULE SCULPTURE TO DESIGN AND PAINT, A PACKAGE OF PERMANENT MARKERS TO PAINT IT WITH, AN ANIMODULE COLORING BOOK, COLOR PENCILS AND A GLUE STICK. THE FIRST PILOT TRIAL OF THESE KITS WENT TO 400 - 5TH GRADE STUDENTS IN 7 NEWARK PUBLIC SCHOOLS, IN COLLABORATION WITH SUPERINTENDENT ROGER LEON AND HEAD OF ARTS, MARGARET EL. OUR TARGET POPULATION IS MIDDLE SCHOOL, A TRANSITIONAL AND CHALLENGING TIME FOR CHILDREN, AND A CRUCIAL TIME TO PREPARE THEM FOR FUTURE ACADEMIC SUCCESS.MAKER SPACE: GIRLS IN ART & TECH. THIS PROGRAM, AT THE INTERSECTION OF ART AND TECHNOLOGY, IS DESIGNED TO EMPOWER GIRLS TO DESIGN AND CREATE THEIR UNIQUE ARTWORKS IN A SAFE AND ENCOURAGING OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. THE PROGRAM PROMOTES STEAM EDUCATION, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND FINANCIAL LITERACY THROUGH FABRICATION AND ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING WITH INSTRUCTION IN CAD (COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN), 3-D MODELING AND PRINTING. BY ENGAGING GIRLS IN 21ST CENTURY ART AND SCIENCE-BASED COMMUNITY-SERVING PROJECTS, THIS PROGRAM IS DIRECTED TO HELP YOUNG WOMEN BUILD THE SELF-ESTEEM AND EMPOWERMENT NEEDED TO ATTAIN THEIR FULL POTENTIAL IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD. THE BARAT FOUNDATION & GIRL SCOUTS HEART OF NJ HAVE PARTNERED ON THIS PROJECT ~ A S.T.E.A.M. ART, SCIENCE AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM THAT COMBINES ART EDUCATION WITH TECHNICAL AND ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS FOR INNER-CITY YOUNG WOMEN. GIRLS WILL LEARN TO DESIGN ARTWORK ON CAD AND 3-D PRINT ITEMS SUCH AS: JEWELRY, STATUETTES OR WHEREVER THEIR IMAGINATION LEADS; PRODUCE IT ONSITE, AND LEARN HOW TO MARKET IT. ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND FINANCIAL LITERACY CURRICULUM TRAIN YOUNG WOMEN IN EMERGING HIGH PAYING TECHNOLOGY JOBS, HELPING TO CLOSE THE EDUCATION TO EMPLOYMENT GAP CONTRIBUTING TO ENDING THE GENERATIONAL POVERTY CYCLE. THE PROJECT DIRECTLY ADDRESSES THE POST-PANDEMIC NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS CAUSED BY ISOLATION AND LEARNING LOSS WITH HANDS-ON MAKER EXPERIENCES.THE CREATION NATION ART & PEACE PARADE: A CITY-WIDE CELEBRATION OF THE CREATIVE TALENTS OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE, NOW A NEWARK TRADITION, INVOLVING HUNDREDS OF NEW JERSEY YOUTH AND DOZENS OF LOCAL ARTISTS, SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES. USING ART AS A CATALYST FOR POSITIVE CHANGE AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, THE BARAT FOUNDATION CREATION NATION PARADE IS A CITY-WIDE COLLABORATION INVOLVING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY IN A CELEBRATION OF ITS YOUNG PEOPLE, THEIR CREATIVITY AND ASPIRATIONS.MESSAGES THROUGH MURALS: RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LARGEST COLLABORATIVE ARTWORK IN THE HISTORY OF NEWARK, THE PEACE MURAL, PAINTED BY OVER 500 SCHOOLCHILDREN IN 14 SCHOOLS, TO WELCOME THE DALAI LAMA TO THE CITY; A MURAL HONORING THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AT NJCRI DESIGNED BY STUDENTS AT THAT ORGANIZATION, A MURAL DEPICTING HARRIET TUBMAN AND THE FREEDOM QUILTS THAT LED FUGITIVE SLAVES TO FREEDOM ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD; AND THE SHOPRITE COMMUNITY MURAL DESIGNED BY 300 STUDENTS IN 11 SCHOOLS. THE SHOPRITE MURAL BECAME THE CENTER OF THE SUPERMARKET'S ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN AND WAS SHOWN ON BILLBOARDS AND BUSSES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, AS WELL AS ON ALL OF THE SUPERMARKET FLYERS AND MARKETING MATERIALS.