I watched the children get tutoring before their art and dance classes started. They were paired up with loving and caring adults. I watched artists and business owners present about their art related businesses i.e. shirts. I loved that these people looked like our students and became role models. I loved hearing the children play instruments, dance, paint and sculpt. Their joy is contagious!
As a volunteer at the Neighborhood Art House, I have seen firsthand the welcoming environment that is experienced by a very diverse group of students. Kids are individually recognized and encouraged to stretch out of their normal comfort zone to grow their creative potential. There are standards for behavior, and misbehavior is patently corrected. But there is no tolerance for disruptive behavior which benefits the larger group. Not only is it rewarding but it is a pleasure to volunteer at the Art House.
I have volunteered for the arthouse since high school and also have taken a few adult art classes throughout the years. This organization is truly a gift to our community and the impact it has made on our youth is incomparable.
kellystolar 11/07/2024
This is great to hear! The Art House can touch people in many ways and is here for our youth and our adult communities. We are blessed to have your support for so many years.
Been volunteering for a few years now for their Hooked on Books program. That is just one of many
wonderful experiences these young people can benefit from: technology, arts, dance, homework help,
musical instruments. Also a safe environment allowing no bad behavior is a normal day.
kellystolar 10/24/2024
We love our volunteer readers who help to instill the joy of reading and the friendship of our adult volunteers. Thank you for providing this lovely testament to the great after-school opportunities.
I have been a volunteer tutor for about 8 1/2 years. The overall atmosphere at the Arthouse is extremely positive. Everyone is treated with respect. That respect and consideration is reflected in the children's behavior. I see them doing little things to help each other out. It is so obvious just how comfortable and happy all of the children are to be there.
There is needed discipline and there are rules to follow, but I think of it as "loving , caring discipline" The children respond well to this.
In my role as a "homework tutor" I am given the supplies and the support I need to be effective.
kellystolar 10/24/2024
Tutoring help is vital for our students who want to be able to focus on completing their schoolwork before they can relax and enjoy the many choices of classes in the arts they have selected. Your efforts as a tutor are not only a huge benefit to the students, but also to those parents who rely on us to provide a great resource at no cost for after-school options vs sending them to daycare. We thank you for providing your unwavering service to the Art House and everyone we are here to help.
The Inner City Neighborhood Art House is a safe and child-friendly environment that fosters creativity and inclusivity. Its welcoming atmosphere encourages students to express themselves artistically while feeling supported and valued. The friendly staff and diverse community make it a place where everyone can thrive and explore their talents. I love every minute of my time volunteering there.
kellystolar 10/24/2024
We are truly blessed to have such a fantastic volunteer base that have been there for almost as many years as we have been in existence. I believe that our volunteers return year after year because they also benefit from their time with the youth at the Neighborhood Art House. It is true that when you give of yourself you also receive benefits of your giving. We are deeply grateful for your time and talents that you share. Art House volunteers are an Art House treasure!
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When you walk into a room full of inner city underserved children and all you can hear is laughter and all you can see are smiles it is apparent that the organization is doing something right! They say that art allows children to become who they are and not just a copy of everyone else. The Neighborhood Art House provides children this opportunity to grow and find themselves while exploring all of the Arts - Dance, Music, Painting, Sculpture, Fiber Art - only to name a few and free of charge. The many children served by the NAH over the years have developed skills well beyond the classroom.
The Inner-City Neighborhood Art House is invaluable to the ERIE community. I have witnessed inner-city youth feeling confident and proud of their newfound talents through their experience at the Art House. It’s inspiring to see the joy in the faces of children when they perform for their parents through dance, singing, playing a musical instrument, showing their graphic design, or painting a picture worthy of a gallery showing, just to name a few examples of what they can do at the Art House. These are opportunities that they might never have had if it wasn’t for the Art House, and they will remember them for a lifetime.
kellystolar 10/23/2024
Thank you, Kathy! Our volunteers are truly the difference makers for the Neighborhood Art House as you help us to share our mission throughout our community.
Previous Stories
The Neighborhood Art House is a gift to the community. I have personally witnessed children becoming confident, disciplined and proud of themselves through their ability to develop through the Arts such as dance, music, painting, drawing, sewing, singing, exercise, etc. It’s so transformative for so many children who see the Art House as their home away from home. The Leaders and staff do an amazing job. I have been so fortunate to be given the opportunity to volunteer at the Art House and be an advisor in various capacities. The experience has allowed me to share my talents and for that, I am grateful for the opportunity to be involved in this wonderful organization.
The Neighborhood Art House is an Erie treasure that has touched the lives of many individuals over its long history. I am touched by the stories I hear from individuals whose lives were made infinitely better as a result of their existence.
kellystolar 10/17/2024
Thank you for your support and kind words. We appreciate the recognition and your time to do so.
I bring my art history students from Gannon University to experience the Art House's extensive cultural programs for children. They see a professionally managed environment with mindful staff and knowledgeable volunteers. They are a priceless asset to Erie's diverse community.
kellystolar 10/17/2024
Thanks so much! We could not ask for a more thoughtful review of our organization. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Neighborhood Art house is one of the best things to happen to my kids. They love all the classes from Martial Arts to wire sculpture. My kids have been able to learn about and explore avenues of art the otherwise would have never heard of or possibly even seen. They have truly flourished with the aid of the art house volunteers becoming very artistic and well rounded. I love seeing what new beautiful thing they have made. It gives them a sense of pride to be able to make so many beautiful things.
kellystolar 10/17/2024
Reading this is music to our ears knowing not only that your children love the Art House, but that you, their parent, value the work we do. Thank you for recognizing our efforts on behalf of everyone here at the Neighborhood Art House!
My history with the Neighborhood Art House began over twenty years ago when friends and major benefactors invited us to one of the events that took us on-site. We met so many charming and talented children and staff. I still remember that evening listening to a 10-11-year-old musician. Those benefactors who introduced me have long since passed, but the seed was planted! I now try to attend in person or online and support the facility annually in different ways from purchasing wish list items to purchasing student works of art to funding tuition for a student. I've also tried to introduce people over the years because if there might be one downfall, it's that there are too many who don't yet know about the art house or what wonderful things they do for our city children and community. They are focused on their mission and don't always have the means to reach out to more than that 'neighborhood' where they thrive. From their director to the teachers and volunteers to the students, the Neighborhood Art House is a positive experience.
Bertie McCune
kellystolar 10/17/2024
Bertie, you are a dear friend of the Neighborhood Art House who has our best interest at heart, as well as all your "neighbors". You make our world a better place, and through your generosity we have been able to open our doors to a wider audience. We are forever grateful for all you have done over the many years and for all you continue to do for those we serve.
The Neighborhood Art House has been an instrumental part of my life for many years, from attending as a student, to teaching as an adult, the Art House has always been a welcoming environment where students of all ages and abilities can thrive in the arts and learn through the arts to thrive in their everyday lives.
kellystolar 10/17/2024
Speaking from the perspective of a former Art House student to being able to write positively about the impact it has had on you personally speaks volumes. Thank you for sharing your story. We are so happy you have chosen to write this review in support of the Neighborhood Art House.
In 2019 I attended the NAHs signature event and was just blown away by the passion and commitment of the staff and supporters as well as the pure talent and elation of the children in the program. I immediately reached out to them to see how I could be a part of their amazing outreach. I have been volunteering with them ever since and haven't regretted a single moment. I love everything about this organization.
The Neighborhood Art House (NAH) has partnered with the Erie City School District (ESD) for many years. WE have prepared fresh food together, collaborated on designing agricultural-related lessons and attended local farm/festival field trips. NAH has made a tremendous impact on the children of ESD who desperately need the opportunity to experience outdoor education in an inner-city, and at times, an unsafe environment. The NAH Garden programs have positively benefitted the ESD families in a nutrition, economic, environment and social way.
I’ve started reading weekly in their Hooked On Books program at the Neighborhood Art
House . The children are eager to learn and the staff is very supportive and dedicated. It’s a welcoming, caring place
Linda Mckean
I volunteer weekly at this non-profit.
I love and appreciate all of the instructors, volunteers, our director, and everyone else involved.
The Inner-City Neighborhood Art House is an amazing haven for the children of Erie, PA.
I am blessed to be a part of such a wonderful place.
There is not a more nurturing environment for children (and now adults) to learn, and be enriched by experiences that transcend the boundaries of “art”. Every single interaction at the Art House is loaded with empowering, positive energy. It is so unique and uplifting, that I am certain that the virtue of every single interaction radiates out into the community.
My child attends a weekly 2 hour class for home school children where 1 hour is taught by an in-house teacher and the other by a guest teacher (all of whom she's enjoyed). My child has learned so much in such a short amount of time! She loves teaching me about the styles of art she's learning (such a wide variety) and the different techniques that go along with them. She has such a great time every day she has class and really loves being there! Thank you Neighborhood Art House!!
Our family loves the Art House. The kids have grown as artists and have formed close relationships with the staff.
The Neighborhood Art House has been a part of my world since it was a dream of how to bring art and beauty and a sense of security and belonging to children in the inner city. I've seen the dream become a reality and then continue to evolve, always true to the original dream yet stretching and growing to meet the needs of new generations of children with different backgrounds and other world views. The program is wholistic and children not only learn art, they also learn how to be a contributing member of a human community. They learn the value of discipline and hard work to hone skills. They find supportive staff and a safe environment where they can explore who they are and what brings them joy. The Neighborhood Art House is making a difference not only in individual lives but also in our city as these children grow to adulthood and see the world a bit differently than they would have without their time at the Art House.
The Neighborhood Art House provides many individuals, young and old, with an outlet to be creative in a wide array of the arts. The expanded daytime and homeschool programs along with the afterschool and summer programs have opened the Neighborhood Art House doors to more than twice as many people as in the past. The arts are great for the mind, body, and spirit thus making our community a healthier and happier place to live through their involvement at the Neighborhood Art House.
The Neighborhood Art House experience revolves completely around the children. The diverse group of children are surrounded by a diverse group of teachers, as representation matters. The organization goes out of its way to create programs that engage the children not just keep them busy.
I was blessed 6 years ago with the opportunity to join the committee for the Art & Sole 5K which is one of the two major fundraisers for the NAH. This year, I became a member of the Core Committee and volunteered with their other fundraiser, Taste of the Arts. The Neighborhood Art House is an amazing organization providing children from the City of Erie, who would not have the opportunity otherwise, to partake in a wide variety of art programs including but not limited to, drawing, ceramics, music, dance, nature - gardening, digital print making, sculpture, painting, sewing, loom art, creative writing, video animation and more! This is the perfect place for kids to express themselves through the arts, giving them a sense of self and security. The kids are SO extremely talented. I am amazed every time I step through the doors and see all the new artwork they have created. The NAH has also started offering classes on Saturday to the public! We felt this was the perfect way to expand into the community and educate others on what the NAH provides. We are so incredible thankful to all the volunteers and the community for their outpouring of support each and every year. It is with this support that we are able to continue our mission. I encourage everyone to visit the website: www.neighborhoodarthouse.org and look for us on FB and IG. This way you can see for yourself, the amazing things happening at the NAH. I am honored to be associated with such and incredible organization.
Comments ( 1 )
kellystolar 10/24/2024 Thank you for this wonderful first-hand observation of the happenings here at the Art House! We could not do it without you!