Children's Art Village

The Children's Art Village ("CAV") is a 501(c)3 tax exempt non-profit organization registered in the State of California. Together with our partners in the United States as well as in third world countries, CAV initiates and implements art curricula in orphanages throughout the world. The Children's Art Village is a humanitarian organization and has no religious affiliations.

MISSION STATEMENT: At the Children's Art Village our vision is to connect children to themselves and to their creative spirits through art. Our focus is to use art & music as mediums of expression to initiate the process of healing for children who have been abandoned. We promote and support creating and maintaining sustainable art & music programs in each of the different locations around the world where we work.

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Ghana

The Children's Art Village is going on its 4th year of a sustainable full-time art program at the Village of Hope Orphanage in Ghana, Africa reaching 600 students at the Hope Christian Academy. Every summer CAV hosts a special week-long art & music program, in partnership with Touch A Life Foundation. The Children's Art Village summer program specifically works with the 200 orphans living at the Village of Hope. This program enables American artist teachers to travel and volunteer and to join local Ghanaian artist teachers in this fun-filled week. Past summer art camp classes have included: painting, mural art, scrap book art, mandala art, gilding, photography, African dance, Hawaiian dance, African music and American music class.

INDIA

In May of 2010, the Children's Art Village, in partnership with the Aadhi Arts Academy, launched its first art & music program at the Sevalaya Orphanage. The orphanage is located 1.5 hours outside of Chennai, India (southeast India). With our team of 6 American and 11 Indian artist teachers CAV hosted a week-long program for over200 orphans. The Children's Art Village has worked with the Sevalaya and have placed a full-time music teacher to teach classical Indian singing to over 1,500 children at the Sevalaya School. Moving forward, CAV will be returning each year to the Sevalaya for a special week-long fall program. This will enable American artist teachers to travel and volunteer and to join local Indian artist teachers and to participate in a wonder-filled week. In May 2010 the CAV summer art camp classes included: painting, paper mache, mixed medium art, mandala art, sculpting, water coloring, mural art, photography, Indian classical & folk dance, American music class and Indian classical singing class.

SUSTAINABILITY: The Children's Art Village is dedicated to building and maintaining sustainable art & music programs in the countries in which we work. CAV is going on our 4th successful year-long Creative Arts program at the Village of Hope (Hope Christian Academy) in Ghana, Africa. Thank you especially to Mr. Emmanuel Asare, our incredibly gifted Creative Arts teacher.

Collage by Freda - Age 10

Artist: Salamatu - Age 8

The psychological harm that can result from exposure of children to trauma and abandonment includes post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and thoughts of suicide, risk-taking and aggressive behavior and substance abuse. A review done by the experts in the field of psychology concluded that there was strong evidence that the use of art and music in children exposed to trauma reduced overall psychological harm. (Reference: Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Recommendations to reduce psychological harm from traumatic events among children and adolescents. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2008 Sep;35(3):314-316. Wethington, H.R. et al)

Abirami's artwork

Abirma - Age 17

"Happy to inform you that Abirami has joined the fine arts schools yesterday. She has taken painting as her subject. This is the first student in Sevalaya in 22 years who has opted for this course. This is the impact of the art camp!" - Sevalaya Murali, Founder of the Sevalaya Orphanage (India)

Mural Day - Ghana

Mural Day - India

Sculpting Class - India

Sevalaya orphans

Mural Art - India

Theme: "Getting Water". Mariama is the youngest of nine children in her family.

Artist: Mariama - Age 12

Artist: Sandra - Age 10

Theme: "Happiness" Sandra was an abandoned orphan whose smile lights up an entire room!

Artist: Richard - Age 10

Title: "About Me" - Richard is a former child slave who is now safely residing at the Village of Hope Orphanage

Here children in Grades 5 and 6 have been taught how to play the guitar by one of our artist teachers from the United States. After only 5 days of instruction the children can play chords and are able to read notes! This is one of the many classes that the Children's Art Village is introducing to our programs in each of the different countries we serve.

Artist: Belinda (Theme: Happiness)

Belida - Age 9 (left) & Agartha - Age 12 (right)

Artist - Agartha (Theme: Favorite Places)

Emmanuel Asare ~ Art Teacher (Ghana)

Emmanuel Asare is a full time faculty teaching Creative Arts at the Village of Hope - Hope Christian Academy in Ghana. Emmanuel has a 4-year University eduction focused on teaching art. The Children's Art Village is so fortunate to support Emmanuel as he executes our vision of building a sustainable art program at the Village of Hope. He is a very gifted artist and a patient and wonderful teacher.

Emmanuel teaching the children

Art Camp - Vietnam (Drama Class)

Art Camp - Vietnam (Photography Class)

Art & Music Camp - Ghana

Artist Teacher, Michael Smith and his students - Art Camp Ghana

Art Camp - Vietnam

Ghanaian Orphans - Dancing

Ghanaian Orphans - Playing African drums (Dec 2007)

Ghanaian Orphans - Singing (Dec 2007)

Children are the same anywhere! They have a burning desire to learn and given the right environment ...they thrive!

Ghana - 2008

Vietnam - 2005

Approved and Reviewed By Guide Star for authentication as a tax exempt organization

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Education Partner World Chidlren's Festival 2011

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CAV on St. Louis Public Radio

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Volunteer Opportunities

Donate to Village of Hope Orphanage

Donate to Sevalaya Orphanage

CAV's International famed artist (click here for more information)

Kofi Agorsor, CAV's art and music partner in Ghana named as one of the 120 top international artist in the world in the 2010 World Cup FIFA art exhibit in South Africa! We are so proud of his achievement!