Young Audiences of Massachusetts (YAMA)
YAMA brings learning focused arts programming directly to preK–12 grade students in schools, libraries, community centers, museums, hospitals, homeless shelters and other centers of learning and healing. We develop, promote and coordinate programming that introduces traditional and contemporary art forms from cultures around the world to:
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- bring curriculum vibrantly to life
- strengthen learning and social skills
- inspire imagination and develop creativity
- promote cultural understanding
- introduce students to powerful modes of self-expression
- encourage students to create, risk, explore and discover their unique potential
Bren Bataclan
Bren Bataclan has been leaving paintings for people to take for free in public spaces (park benches, train stations, senior centers, hospitals, etc…) across the country and around the world since 2003. He has now given away over 3,000 paintings in over seventy countries and in all fifty states. Bren has also been sharing his kindness-related street art project with schools for over fifteen years.
His hour-long program consists of media clips, a slide show, a drawing demo and Q&A. The presentation works for an all school assembly or for individual grades and is suitable for all ages. Through his whimsical and happy characters, Bren takes students on a journey around the globe, demonstrating how a smile is universally understood and appreciated. During the drawing demo, Bren explains how easy it is to draw his characters and that there is no right or wrong way to illustrate them.
Bren’s mural residencies are typically a week long. What makes his murals unique is that he takes the students’ drawings and paints them on the wall. This way, the kids’ illustrations become part of the school’s history/legacy (see mural samples >>>).
Bren’s project is about the positive power of art and how the simple gesture of leaving a painting for free can spread joy and laughter. His presentation is also an effective way to teach kids the power of kindness and sharing by creating their own art projects… a significant antidote to bullying. Please contact Bren at (smileyb@bataclan.com or 617-354-8040) if you have additional questions about his school assemblies and mural projects or if you are interested in booking Bren.