Announcements
2020 was one wild ride, and through it all, the ArtVan community showed up! Thank you to all our friends who were able to help raise funds and donate supplies during a very uncertain year.
November News
ArtVan is the only program we’ve had serving our Youth since March. Auburn Housing Development’s Residential Coordinator, Laura Penley-Beaudoin We extend our heartfelt appreciation for the contributions that allow us to offer quality, direct therapeutic support to our local Youth during this incredibly challenging time. As the winter approaches and indoor community spaces remain closed, […]
Summer 2020 Newsletter
LARGER PRINT We’ve had fun packing this issue with summer highlights, team updates, and a deeper dive into the benefits of Art Therapy. As the autumn takes off, we’re exploring ways to expand our program reach, so stay tuned! We’d love to hear what draws you in or what ideas you might have!
Development & Communication News
Shannon is ArtVan’s Development and Communications Director. Originally from the DC Metro area, she has found a home in Maine, and can often be spotted with knitting needles, diving into a book of memoirs, or weeding her garden beds. She holds an undergraduate in sociology and a master’s in social entrepreneurship. Shannon believes in how […]
Check Out Our New YouTube Channel!
ArtVan has a new YouTube channel! It’s our home for how-to videos for at-home projects, as well as video updates. Check it out! ArtVan Program YouTube Channel
ArtVan & Covid-19
As ArtVan is following Maine’s Mandate for Social Distancing, all of our Spring Programming is currently cancelled. We are reaching Youth through monthly, safely-distributed, new Art materials and Instructional Project Ideas. In April we distributed 157 “ArtBags” to 7 neighborhoods in 4 communities. We also are presently working on instructional ArtVan Sessions on our new Youtube […]
in the news
ArtVan’s Art Bags Featured in The Cryer
Our friends at The Cryer newspaper have written a lovely article covering the rollout of ArtVan’s new Art Bag program! Full text below the image. ARTBAGS from ArtVan…Working Within The New Kind Of Normal Story by Keith Spiro, in-article images by Jamie Silvestri – Originally appeared in The Cryer, June 2020 edition How do you maintain a small degree of normal for kids when […]
A quote from Jamie featured in The Cryer
A quote from ArtVan Executive Director & Founder Jamie Silvestri recently appeared in The Cryer newspaper. Full text below the image! The Cryer Cares About Us… “Last fall at the Brunswick Farmers Market I did my usual routine, picking up The Cryer on my way in. Someone said, “Great picture in The Cryer!” I said […]
Artist Spotlight: Jalin Coleman
Long-time Youth Artist Jalin Coleman was recently featured in a spotlight article by The Cryer. See the full article below.
stories from the field
ArtVan & Covid-19
As ArtVan is following Maine’s Mandate for Social Distancing, all of our Spring Programming is currently cancelled. We are reaching Youth through monthly, safely-distributed, new Art materials and Instructional Project Ideas. In April we distributed 157 “ArtBags” to 7 neighborhoods in 4 communities. We also are presently working on instructional ArtVan Sessions on our new Youtube […]
In The Field #4
ArtVan – Lewiston Public Library youth is rolling in the “art zone”, focused, and like a performance art piece her finger dances across the paper, she says, “this really feels good”.
Thanks for attending the 8th Annual Altered Couture Fashion Show!
We had a great show! Thanks to everyone who came out and supported this incredible event. Click here to check out our Facebook photos to see our youth artists and their creative, upcycled fashion designs.
In The Field #3
ArtVan older youth artists leave their neighborhoods to face paint with ArtVan staff at LL Beans Winter Kids Festival.
In the Field #2 – Honor the Trees
So sad to see all the amazing strong pines uprooted and broke…we decided to honor the trees this week.
In The Field #1
Youth sharing their “HOME” creations to their friends. Kelly and I are so inspired & impressed by their design and engineering and even more heart-warmed by their kind, attentive, and authentic social commenting towards one another. ~Jamie
art therapy resources
American Art Therapy Association: “What is Art Therapy?”
The American Art Therapy Association has a great article explaining Art Therapy. Click the link below to see it!
From the Archives
Search the Archives by Month & Year
November News
ArtVan is the only program we’ve had serving our Youth since March. Auburn Housing Development’s Residential Coordinator, Laura Penley-Beaudoin We extend our heartfelt appreciation for the contributions that allow us to offer quality, direct therapeutic support to our local Youth during this incredibly challenging time. As the winter approaches and indoor community spaces remain closed, […]
ArtVan Winter 2019-2020 Newsletter
Click the link below to view or download a PDF version of the newsletter:
ArtVan Fall 2019 Newsletter
Check out our Fall newsletter below! Use the arrows at the bottom of the window to change pages!
2nd Annual Artful Autumn Sensation
Sunday, November 3rd 2019, 11AM – 2PM @ Frontier Cafe, Brunswick Click for tickets & more info: (Event over, link removed)
Now Hiring: Director of Development and Communications
ArtVan is currently seeking a Director of Development and Communications. Full posting below!
ArtVan Youth Artist Show
Come meet the artists! Wednesday, April 17 2019 4-5 PM @ the Little Dog Coffee Shop (87 Maine Street, Brunswick)
Artful Autumn Sensation
Come celebrate ArtVan’s 14 years of service to our communities and help support our efforts to “keep the arts rolling!” (Event over, ticket link removed) Thank you to our sponsors for this event:
ArtVan Presentation at University of Maine Brunswick
We had the pleasure of joining Patricia Clark, Director of Early Childhood Studies at University of Maine, for a talk about art therapy with youth. Presenters were Jamie, the founder and director of ArtVan, Carmine, an art therapist in training, and Jalin, a youth artist who has worked with ArtVan for four years. We presented […]
Support ArtVan’s mission with an end of year contribution
Dear Friend of ArtVan, What an amazing, transformative year ArtVan has had! Over this past year, ArtVan has honed its operating model to be as lean as possible, while continuing to deliver quality programming through our Neighborhood Program and our Community Partnership Program. Not only did our work hum along, but we were also able […]
May 2018 Newsletter
Take a look at our incredible upcoming events, programs, and cool photos from our artists! May 2018 Newsletter!