Icee & Paint

This project works with youth who reside in the historically low income area of North Tulsa. We have partnered with Lacy Park Recreation Center. Through this partnership Underground Tree Studios offers art workshops and hosts an annual art festival for the community. This project allows youth a fun, safe environment to express themselves through art creation. Icee & Paint named after Sip & Paint will provide Icees for the youth and instruction led art creation by our practicing and certified art instructors. All youth are at a high risk of falling into crime. Suicide rates are high and programs like I&P are proven to improve self-esteem and academics. There is minimal arts programming at the center at the moment for youth and it would be a great addition to the sports programs. This project will impact the Oklahoma community by encouraging youth to create, use their imagination, and express their wants and needs through creative methods. This will encourage less crime and less suicide. Youth will have the opportunity to exhibit and sell their creations. This will engage the community, which in turn builds pride.

Underground Tree Studios Evergreen Youth Arts Festival at Lacy Park Recreation Center.

This festival allows youth a fun, safe environment to express themselves through art creation. Art stations are set up for the youth and the Evergreen stage hosts numerous artistic acts throughout the day. Fun activities like bouncy house, horse rides and bucking bull exist during the festival. The youth artists and vendors are paid from a budget we spend 4-5 months fundraising for. We also put a focus on black (youth) business. All youth are at a high risk of falling into crime. Suicide rates are high and programs like our annual festival are proven to improve self-esteem and academics. There is minimal arts programming at the center at the moment for youth and this festival has been a great addition to the sports programs.

The festival impacts the Oklahoma community by encouraging youth to create, use their imagination and express their wants and needs through creative methods. This will encourage less crime and less suicide. Youth will have the opportunity to exhibit and sell their creations. This will engage the community, which in turn builds pride. Since the 1st year we have witnessed youth grow in their craft with confidence and financial encouragement. Creating and funding arts and culture programs has proven to aid in equitable development, such as funding artists of color, realigning public and culture investments. This year we have partnered with both Family Synergy Restoration Center, Inc and Rayunu Divine Security who runs an Anti-Bullying program that creates incentives in the public school for youth to not bully. Both partnering organizations are Black Women led businesses.