Arts Initiative | Department of Youth Services

Share Your Art, Share Your Voice

Overview

Art is often created for entertainment – to be consumed or invested in. For the young people involved in the DYS Arts Initiative, art is a means of healing, growth, and learning. Commonwealth Corporation partners with the Department of Youth Services to provide youth with opportunities for emotional expression, exposure to a variety of art forms, and a link between arts success and workforce development/career readiness. For the last decade, CommCorp has used arts education as a youth engagement strategy and opportunity for positive youth development.

The Arts Initiative also includes art ‘residencies’ in which teaching and performing artists are placed in DYS programs for 6 – 15 weeks of intensive programming, culminating in final performances, celebrations, and presentations. Our Annual Showcase, “Share Your Art/Share Your Voice,” is a statewide exhibition that illustrates the potential of youth committed to DYS and acknowledges the passion and commitment of the workforce that supports them.

For more information, please contact Magda Spasiano, Program Manager for the DYS Arts Initiative at [email protected] or get in touch using the button below.

Resources

As the juvenile justice agency for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Department of Youth Services promotes positive change in the youth in our care and custody. Our mission is to make communities safer by improving the life outcomes for youth in our care. We achieve our mission through investing in highly qualified staff and a service continuum that engages youth, families, and communities in strategies that support positive youth development.

DYS serves youth between the ages of 12-21 who have been committed to its care and custody by the courts, referred by the police upon arrest, and youth previously committed to its custody who choose to engage in voluntary services with DYS (Youth Engaged in Services or YES).

Blog

It's been a busy year at Commonwealth Corporation! Here's a look back at some of our accomplishments in 2019.
More than 400 youth, community leaders and families gathered to celebrate and view art created by youth in Massachusetts Department of Youth Services (DYS) programs at the highly anticipated 7th Annual DYS “Share Your Art, Share Your Voice!” event on Tuesday, May 14.

Commonwealth Corporation is a quasi-public agency that was established in 1996 under the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. 


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