Art Around Town is a social enterprise that provides art supplies to local schools for students to produce pieces of art. These works are then sold through exhibitions to area businesses and members of the community. Art students in middle and high schools create art as part of their regular art education curriculum; EMU’s Office of Academic Service-Learning--through its youth social entrepreneurs
hip program, The B.Side--coordinates exhibitions around town and invites business leaders and other interested community members to purchase student art. Proceeds from the marketing and selling of student art work are then returned to local schools to enhance curricular art objectives. What makes AAT innovative is its unique collaboration with other social enterprises and the education system. Middle and high school students will not only learn how to create a variety of art genres, but that learning is enhanced by exposure to art marketing concepts and skills. Local businesses and community members benefit from being provided with meaningful opportunities to support vital arts education experiences for youth, assist AAT in providing the necessary skills for artists to market their work, as well as display the talent of their youth community.
