The recipient entity's physical address:
           1719 Toledano St.
New Orleans LA 70115

The recipient entity's mailing address (if different):
           PO Box 751033
New Orleans LA 70175

Type of Entity (for instance, a nonprofit corporation):  Non-Profit Corporation

If the entity is a corporation, list the names of the incorporators:
          

The last four digits of the entity's taxpayer ID number:  5350

What is the dollar amount of the request?  $25,000

What type of request is this?  General Appropriation

Is this entity in good standing with the Secretary of State?  Yes

Provide the name of each member of the recipient entity's governing board and officers:
           Dana Reed (she/her)
Executive Director
729 Sixth St., New Orleans LA 70115

Preston Broadhead (he/him)
President
Business Strategist Consultant
1225 Bourbon St, #A, New Orleans, LA 70116

Doug Alexander (he/him)
Vice President
Consultant
1315 Peniston Street, Apt 3, New Orleans, LA 70115

Miriam Keith (she/her)
Treasurer
Certified Public Accountant
3032 Royal St., New Orleans, LA 70117

Kiandra Carter (she/her)
Secretary
Owner and Designer Creole Amour Laser Studio
130 Cypress Grove Ct, #94, New Orleans, LA 70131

Lily Baptiste (she/her)
Youth Board Member
10th Grader
920 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118

Blair Broussard (she/her)
Board Member
Strategic Communications Consultant
4217 Prytania St. Unit 304, New Orleans, LA 70115

John Bukaty (he/him)
Board Member
Visual Artist
832 Solomon Pl, New Orleans, LA 70119




Andrew Harris (he/him)
Board Member
Sales Manager
2363 Laurel St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Theresa Johnson (she/her)
Board Member
Owner and Designer The Cake Artistry
321 W Harrison Ave, New Orleans, LA 70124

Lisa Thompson (she/her)
Board Member
Principal Consultant Mondiale Consulting LLC
939 Iberville St, Unit 523, New Orleans, LA 70112

Dr. Stacie Williams (she/her)
Board Member
System Director - Diversity, Social Responsibility, and Community Engagement
3322 Upperline St, #2, New Orleans, LA 70125

Provide a summary of the project or program:
           We serve 800 – 1,200 children annually. Most of the youth we serve reside in the Central City neighborhood of New Orleans, where almost 30% of the population lives below the poverty line. Unfortunately, low-income working parents struggle to send their children to holiday break and summer programs due to the following barriers: lack of transportation, high costs, and unavailability of local programming. New Orleans is a hospitality-based city with many of our students’ parents working in the tourism industry. These parents are busiest during holidays and summer, which is why we offer our programming during these times. By serving children from different socio-economic backgrounds throughout our community, we teach them to value collaboration over competition, artistic growth over solos, and creating original works over recreating repertoire. In addition, 26% of our students have special needs.

To ensure a truly inclusive environment for all students, our teaching artists undergo specialized training in art therapy techniques, led by licensed therapists. This empowers them to offer personalized support and on-site interventions that effectively address both the mental and physical challenges faced by students with special needs, allowing them to fully engage in learning and artistic expression alongside their peers. Our creARTive Impact & Intervention program (for ages 4-12) fosters artistic development, personal growth, collaborative skills, and confidence of youth in New Orleans. The sliding scale fee structure, art therapy, and nutritious meals provided in this program exemplifies our core values, which are: community, creativity and fun, respect, and diversity/equity/inclusion. We provide a creative space for arts education, to foster friendship and community through the creation of art. We celebrate young artists’ limitless creativity, and encourage individual growth and collaboration by integrating silliness, adventure, and positive attitudes in everything we do. We respect each child’s contribution to our organization by building a model for kind and respectful behavior that teaches children to be accountable for their choices, providing a healthy and safe learning space. We welcome families of all identities and from all circumstances to our organization, creating a diverse and inclusive environment. Our staff and board believe and uphold these values every day.

The Teen Leadership Program helps youth discover their artistic talents while gaining job skills training. Leaders across industries report that entry-level candidates lack the necessary hard and soft skills, a problem worsened by the pandemic. Youth need a safe, creative space to develop these skills, and that’s where Upturn Arts steps in. Noticing a gap in teen programming, we created an engaging, interactive series for ages 13-17. Over 9 months, teens meet once a month for job skills training, leading to Upturn Arts employment. Upon completion, they become teaching assistants for 3 months during the summer, helping teach art classes to younger children while earning a weekly stipend as compensation. Representing the voice of our community’s youth, here is a quote from Lily Baptiste, local 10th grader, “I’ve learned many different types of leadership skills, such as clear communication with my friends, teamwork, decision-making, problem-solving, and critical thinking. This program has helped me grow as a person and gives me an outlet to express myself through art.” With your support, together we can help children in New Orleans, like Lily, to dream bigger and obtain the necessary life skills needed to reach their personal goals.

What is the budget relative to the project for which funding is requested?:
          Salaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . $115,000
          Professional Services. . . $0
          Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . $0
          Acquisitions . . . . . . . . . $0
          Major Repairs . . . . . . . $0
          Operating Services. . . . $0
          Other Charges. . . . . . . $0

Does your organization have any outstanding audit issues or findings?  No

If 'Yes' is your organization working with the appropriate governmental agencies to resolve those issues or findings?
          

What is the entity's public purpose, sought to be achieved through the use of state monies?
          Imagine a child standing on stage, singing a song, performing a dance, presenting their art, then taking a bow. They smile, feel proud, and grow taller with newfound confidence. That upturn can never be taken away. It will live on in that child forever. We empower children to explore their creativity, discover their unique voice, and develop essential critical thinking and life skills. When school is out, we are in, offering “arts for all” in a safe, nurturing space. In 2019, we partnered with art therapists to better support children with special needs through individualized care, on-site intervention, and tailored staff training. Currently, we are serving over 6,000 free meals during our 12-week summer session to ensure children continued to have access to nutritious meals while out of school. Also in 2023, we launched the Teen Leadership Program, offering mentorship, workforce training, and paid internships for students aging out of our program. This year marks Upturn Arts’ 15th anniversary of providing accessible arts education to New Orleans children ages 4-17 through year-round after-school, holiday, and summer programs.

According to the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Future of Jobs Survey, 73% of 803 companies identified creative thinking as a top priority when evaluating talent. Creativity is not merely a classroom skill. It is a powerful life skill that gives children a distinct advantage. Making art focuses on learning new skills, making mistakes, problem solving, and working together, practicing these skills repeatedly to become a confident, compassionate, and unique individual. When children gain confidence through creating art, that newfound self-assurance extends into other areas of their lives, such as becoming more engaged in school activities and fostering healthy relationships. Making art teaches leadership. When a child masters a new skill, we encourage them to help their peers, cheer them on, and celebrate when someone else has mastered the same skill. Making art is collaborative. Collaboration breeds both artistic creativity and confidence in our young artists. We strive to increase the expressive confidence of every child, regardless of artistic talent or ability. Arts education enriches academic experiences and equips children with skills needed for lifelong success. This is why Upturn Arts exists—to provide young people with a safe, creative outlet after school, where they can develop life skills through art.
We provide specialized training in youth development that grows children’s passions for art early on. Every time a child experiences an upturn, their serotonin levels increase, just as if they were playing a sport and won the championship game. Art helps children emotionally and physically. For example, dance builds strength and flexibility, helping with the development of fine motor skills and creating a life-time interest in physical fitness. Art offers a creative outlet that activates our power to heal, increasing mental well-being. For example, theatre fosters deep emotional connections to characters, allowing children to not only identify with them but also providing a powerful outlet for self-expression and personal growth. It helps children to process their feelings and communicate to their peers in a healthy way. Art creates a feeling of community, building social connections and a positive outlook on life. It decreases loneliness, isolation, and anxiety, alleviating stress and encouraging children to connect. Making art enables children to find confidence, be curious, and embrace joy, helping them to achieve their full potential.

What are the goals and objectives for achieving such purpose?
          The overarching goal of our program is to foster an inclusive, supportive, and transformative environment that promotes artistic expression, mental well-being, and leadership development among children and teens in our community. To realize this vision, our objectives are strategically designed to address the diverse needs of our participants, ensure equitable access to resources, and cultivate future leaders who will carry forward our mission.

1. Ensuring Equitable Financial Access to Our Camps

A primary objective is to allocate a substantial portion of our financial aid resources—30% of all aid awarded—to low-income and below-poverty families. This commitment aims to break down economic barriers that might prevent children from participating in enriching camp experiences. By providing financial assistance that covers between 77% and 94% of total costs for 10-15 campers per session, we strive to make our programs accessible and inclusive. This targeted support ensures that economic hardship does not impede a child's opportunity to engage in artistic activities, gain therapeutic benefits, and develop essential life skills. Our goal is to foster a diverse participant demographic, reflecting the community's socio-economic spectrum, thereby enriching the camp experience for all and promoting social equity.

2. Providing Art Therapy Services to Support Mental and Emotional Well-being

Recognizing the importance of mental health and emotional resilience, our second objective is to integrate comprehensive art therapy services into our camp offerings. All children who attend our camp and demonstrate a need will have access to on-site art therapy sessions conducted by licensed art therapists for four hours daily. These sessions are designed to create a safe, expressive space where children can explore their feelings, process trauma, and develop coping strategies through creative expression. Additionally, we aim to enhance the capacity of our staff and teen leaders by providing 10 hours of specialized training to equip them with foundational knowledge of art therapy techniques, enabling them to better support campers’ emotional needs. This dual approach fosters a holistic development environment, promotes mental health awareness, and ensures that therapeutic support is seamlessly integrated into the camp experience.

3. Developing Future Leaders Through a Teen Leadership Program

Our third objective is to cultivate the next generation of community leaders through a dedicated teen leadership program. We plan to serve 25 local teens annually, offering them meaningful engagement and skill-building opportunities. This includes hiring 6-8 teens per camp session and providing them with at least 30 hours of training focused on leadership, teamwork, communication, and community service. A key component of this program is the establishment of a Teen President, who will be given the opportunity to sit on the Upturn Arts Board of Directors, thereby gaining invaluable leadership experience and a voice in organizational decision-making. The program aims to empower teens, instill a sense of ownership and responsibility, and foster a pipeline of committed community advocates who can contribute to the sustainability and growth of the organization.

Additional Supporting Objectives
Beyond these core goals, we aim to continuously evaluate and improve our programs to maximize impact. This includes collecting data on participant outcomes, expanding partnerships with community organizations, and advocating for policies that support arts education and mental health services. We are committed to creating a nurturing environment where children and teens can explore their potential, express themselves freely, and develop the skills necessary to thrive both within and beyond the camp setting.

What is the proposed length of time estimated by the entity to accomplish the purpose?
           1 year, 95-100 days of camp

If any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official is an officer, director, trustee, or employee of the recipient entity who receives compensation or holds any ownership interest therein:
     (a) If an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of the official and the office held by such person:
                
    
     (b) If an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of such person; the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related; and the nature of the relationship:
                

     (c) The percentage of the official's or immediate family member's ownership interest in the recipient entity, if any:
                

     (d) The position, if any, held by the official or immediate family member in the recipient entity:
                 

If the recipient entity has a contract with any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official or with the state or any political subdivision of the state:
(a) If the contract is with an elected or appointed state official, provide the name and address of the official and the office held by such person: 
               

(b) If the contract is with an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official:
          Provide the name and address of such person:
              

          Provide the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related:
               

          What is the nature of the relationship? 

(c) If the contract is with the state or a political subdivision of the state, provide the name and address of the state entity or political subdivision of the state:
                

(d) The nature of the contract, including a description of the goods or services provided or to be provided pursuant to the contract:
               


Contact Information
name:  Dana Reed 
                                       address:  729 Sixth St.
New Orleans LA 70115
                                       phone:  5044271515
                                       fax: 
                                       e-mail:  dana@upturnarts.org
                                       relationship to entity:  Executive Director