January 14, 2016

LiveWritePaint: Students Supporting Students through the Arts

ArtStarts is inspired by those who feel moved to give back to their communities. We'd like to showcase the efforts of three students who, through their passions for the arts, organized a fundraiser so that other young people across BC could also access the arts.

Nellie Sun, Lydia Sochan, and Ann Ping are Grade 9 students at Churchill Secondary in Vancouver. In their Applied Skills class through the two-year Synergy Program, their teacher Mr. Olson tasked students to create a "not for profit" organization with a mission and mandate, and plan an event to raise funds for a like-minded organization. The Applied Skills class allows students to learn different skills and build ideas that can be taken outside of the classroom and into the real world.

Nellie, Lydia and Ann have a collective passion for the arts and they created an organization called LiveWritePaint. The students decided they would host an art show — Kaleidoscopes on Canvas — where paintings from local Vancouver artists would be displayed for sale.

LiveWritePaint feels strongly that the arts are important for young people to thrive in this world, and after online research and a visit to the ArtStarts Gallery, they chose ArtStarts in Schools as their organization to support.

Their event took place in late November 2015 and 18 paintings were sold. Recently, Lydia and Nellie came down to the ArtStarts Gallery and delivered a cheque for a donation of over $1,500. We had a chance to sit down with them to ask a few questions.

Why are the arts and creativity important to you and other young people?

"In this world, there are so many rules and people conform to these rules. With creativity, you don’t have to follow rules. It allows you to be different. It's important to learn to be your own person." —Lydia

"I love music, it allows me to express myself. And through visual art, it allows me to look at things in different perspective and in a new light. Creativity can allow for new approaches to solving the world's problems." —Nellie

What was something you learned throughout the process of organizing Kaleidoscopes on Canvas?

"There is a lot of planning and organizing involved. You really have to work hard for it. On the night before the event while we were setting up, we were really excited because it was actually happening!"

How does it make you feel knowing that through your hard work, passions and efforts, you are enabling other young people across BC to participate in the arts?

"You always see and hear how adults make a difference in the world but kids can, too. Knowing that we are making a difference feels empowering. I feel we have a responsibility to do more, now that we know we can do it." —Lydia

"I was using my own two hands to make this happen. Through our hard work we are helping others, and this feels really rewarding." —Nellie

Is there a message you would like to share with other young people?

"Kids can actually make a difference. You can actually do something." —Lydia

"Find your passions. If you have a dream, make sure to act on it." — Nellie

Thanks to LiveWritePaint for supporting ArtStarts and, most of all, for inspiring us all to follow our passions!

Learn more about how you can support ArtStarts' mission and vision.