The Underground Art Studio at Oasis

At Oasis, our goal isn’t to “teach” art; instead, we use art as a vehicle to help youth express themselves, explore social issues, develop new skills, and indeed to change the community.

Art has long played an important role in fulfilling our mission. In 2011, we deepened that commitment by launching the Underground Art Studio. The youth who participate in our art programming come from the greater community, other Oasis programs, and our Emergency Shelter.

The Art Studio is a place to engage young people in new and creative ways, where they can experiment, tell their stories, relieve stress, and find an outlet to work through traumatic experiences.

It’s also a place where young people can create social change. Each year, the Art Studio engages young people in creating several public art projects for under-resourced communities. Recent projects have included a series of murals focused on harmful stereotypes and a photo installation centered on issues of transit.