The Chicago Restorative Arts Project (CHIRap) is a nonprofit organization providing various art programs and community involvement opportunities for elementary and high school students in Chicago, Illinois. Based in the Chicago Community Area of Englewood, CHIRap will be centered within an environment that has a huge need for social and cultural programs. Englewood currently has a poverty rate tha
t is more than twice the rate of the entire city (44% and 20%, respectively), collapsing infrastructure and health conditions, and schools with low academic performance. This sets up the conditions for the youth to be at risk for dropping out of school, involvement in criminal activity, and to further recreate the poor socioeconomic status of the neighborhood for generations to come. CHIRap seeks to provide an array of opportunities to assist in the development, enrichment, and empowerment of the youth in this community—and others like it—by providing a safe space where students can engage in creative activities that will boost their self-esteem and ability to think critically and innovatively in day to day activities. The project is built with the intention of providing an alternative to traditional approaches to social intervention programs. Alongside creative community involvement activities and partnerships with other social and local organizations, CHIRap will provide an artistic support structure for the youth and young adults in the metropolitan area. The mission of the Chicago Restorative Arts Project is to develop creative programs that will engage youth and young adults in the community creatively and intellectually, as well as motivating them to make progress and positive change in their classrooms in the community. ChiRAP seeks to develop creative programming to...
Bridge the gap between creative processes and traditional education
Develop a sense of self-esteem and Entrepreneurship
Build a sense of community and interconnection
Provide a creative outlet as a form of street intervention
Through partnership with community members, leaders, and schools, We look to be the beginning of a creative movement for youth and young adults in Englewood and in the rest of Chicago.
