WAYS RAC WORKS

Community Partnerships

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

RAC is a leadership group at the museum. We create programs mostly for teens in the community. Centered a lot on having our perspective heard by a larger audience. We use the museum to create the programs and we want to reach an audience farther than that of just museum goers.

The RISD Art Circle teens are passionate about connecting artworks in the collection to the lives young people today. The group has done this through programs, installations, and acquisitions.

UnTouchable

RAC worked with Emily Sellon, a graduate student at Brown in Public Humanities, to curate an exhibition of touchable art at the Granoff Center for the Creative Arts located on the Brown University Campus. The call for art was open to Brown, RISD, and local high school students. RAC reviewed 53 submissions from college students, one submission from RAC, and one high school student submission. Submissions represented a huge variety of media and approaches to the concept of “touchable art”. RAC was given complete curatorial freedom over the exhibition with the exception of artwork determined by the Granoff building managers not able to be safely displayed. The exhibition was displayed throughout three floors of the Granoff Center. RAC members were also involved in the process installation and learn how to hang objects at eye-level, discussed ADA compliance and other factors . RAC members invited friends and family to attend the opening reception and a performance where they were able to meet many of the artists.

Camera angled from the top of the stair looking down a staircase at five people talking with some art installation equipment nearby.

Two people talking with step-stool behind them but in front of piece of white fabric with a black ink drawing on it

Teenage helping another teenager step into a two foot pinneapple shaped stool that is holding the leaf shaped stool top.

Student straightening a wall piece that has layers of fabric one of which is being lifted to reveal small letters that spell Call Mom.

Image for sixteen young people in two rows standing in the theater with a film screen behind them.

Youth Filmmaker Showcase

For the second year in a row RAC partnered with the Providence Children’s Film Festival to curate a program of youth-made short films. The jurying process was facilitated by Eric Bilodeau, PCFF Director of Programming. RAC watched and gave feedback on over two dozen films submitted by young filmmakers from all over the world. Films captured the fun and challenges facing young people today and ranged from documentary, to animation, to live action. Seventeen films were selected to be screened during two Youth Filmmaker Showcase events held at the RISD Museum Chace Auditorium. After each screening RAC members led a Q & A session with filmmakers in attendance.

For the third year in a row RAC partnered with the Providence Children’s Film Festival to curate a program of youth-made short films. The jurying process was facilitated by Eric Bilodeau, the PCFF Director of Programming. RAC watched and gave feedback on over two dozen films submitted by young filmmakers all over the world. Films captured the fun and challenges facing young people today and ranged from documentary, to animation, to live action. Seventeen films were selected to be screened during two Youth Filmmaker Showcase events held at the RISD Museum Chace Auditorium. After each screening RAC members led a Q & A session with the filmmakers in attendance.