SFCA Artistic Teaching Partners and members of the ʻĀina Arts Teaching Cohort working with the new Hawaiʻi Open Arts (HŌʻĀ) ʻāina-based arts program have recently done Professional Development at learning centers on Hawaiʻi Island and Oʻahu. These sessions included introductions to the community learning centers and hands-on arts activities related to the sites.
Kahuluʻu Kūāhewa and Donkey Mill Arts Center
Kahalu’u Kūāhewa (Kona, Hawaiʻi Island) is a community-based organization revitalizing a traditional Hawaiian agricultural landscape and reconnecting kānaka to ʻāina. Their ʻāina education initiative engages all ages in their community, and site visits may be tailored to specific teaching and age groups. Learn more on their website, KahaluuKuahewa.org.
Donkey Mill Arts Center (DMAC) is a longtime SFCA grantee and community partner, expanding SFCA arts education programming to the Kona side of Hawaiʻi Island. DMAC’s vision: “Arts education is essential to break down socio-economic and cultural barriers. Our vision is to establish West Hawaiʻi as a model of a resilient, thriving community where art is considered a necessity, not a luxury.” Learn more at DonkeyMillArtCenter.org.
Waiʻanae Moku, Nānākuli Muliwai and Watershed Project
An estuary (partially enclosed, coastal water body where fresh water and salt water mix) at the mouth of Nānākuli Valley on the Leeward Coast of Oʻahu, the Nānākuli muliwai is the focus of a Mālama Learning Center project. The Mālama Learning Center is a nonprofit organization bringing art, science, conservation, and culture together to promote sustainable living throughout Hawaiʻi. The center provides hands-on, place-based education for students, teachers, and community members. Learn more on their website, MalamaLearningCenter.org.
Learn more about the HŌʻĀ Program
Learn more about the HŌʻĀ program at HawaiiOpenArts.org.