AFH began with an imperative – to address the lack of arts experiences within the Boston Public School system – and with an ambitious, unconventional idea – young people can provide, through their innate talent and vision, contemporary creative services to the business community. Training and employing urban teens offers them a key solution to economic disenfranchisement and has a resounding effect on their lives, their families, and their communities. AFH employs 250+ Boston teens annually in paid apprenticeship in the visual arts and creative industries; and we immerse an additional 500+ children and youth in arts exploration experiences through Visual Arts Residencies and other partnerships at Boston public schools.
Since 2004, when we constructed Boston’s first Platinum LEED-certified facility, the Artists For Humanity EpiCenter, AFH has continued to bring leadership and vision to our work in the community. We have grown exponentially as a youth and cultural community resource, a successful enterprise, and a center for economic and environmental sustainability. The EpiCenter serves our youth apprentices and the greater community as a learning laboratory in creative industries, environmental sciences and renewable technologies. It has inspired us to formalize interdisciplinary arts and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning – or STEAM! – in our studios. AFH continues to pioneer opportunities for youth to utilize creativity, industry and innovation toward an overarching goal of preparing them for emerging trends in workforce and educational pathways.