Youlou Arts Foundation

Youlou Arts Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization based in St. Vincent and the Grenadines ( SVG). Youlou Arts Foundation was founded in 1999 by Ms. Camille Saunders Musser, an artist and resident of SVG. Camille who has lived away from the island for many years, has struggled to understand how she might contribute to the economic and social development of her country. Camille, as an artist, was particularly interested in seeking ways to preserve and develop the arts and culture of SVG. She was also searching for ways to improve the economic status of local artists and artisans.

An exhibition of her own paintings, that Camille held in St. Vincent, in 1999, sparked the idea for the Youlou Arts Foundation (YAF). The paintings were well received, and she decided to invest all the proceeds into beginning YAF. Fully aware that these proceeds were extremely limited, Camille remained convinced that this was still the best way to use the funds: to initiate an effort towards economic and cultural development on SVG.

The "Growing Young Artists" project is the first Youlou Arts Foundation project initiated towards achieving its goals.

The Youlou Arts Foundation is made up of several members of the SVG community who share Camille's interest in enhancing opportunities for other members of this island, and in reviving and preserving SVG's cultural heritage. Members on the board cover a wide range of backgrounds relevant to developing SVG's programs.

The Youlou Arts Foundation mission is to promote excellence in the visual, performing and literary arts in St.Vincent and the Grenadines.

Considering the breadth of its mission, YAF began research on how its goals and objectives might be achieved. While these continue to be researched and developed, it was determined that there are three main objectives:

1. Provide educational and training opportunities in the area of arts and culture to children of SVG. (The focus of this education would be on traditional SVG arts and culture, but will also provide a broader exposure to art and culture in general. This will be achieved through collaborating with art foundations from different parts of the world through classes in different media and techniques etc.)

2. Improve the economic self- sufficiency of local artists and artisans through the promotion and marketing of SVG arts, crafts and cultural events.

3. Develop a scholarship fund to provide further education for exemplary artists.

In 2001 Youlou Arts Foundation designed and began implementing the first main objective - educating the children of SVG about their cultural heritage, and providing an opportunity to learn more about art and culture.
This program, which is called "Growing Young SVG Artists" is aimed at reaching the most economically disadvantaged children in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The project is aimed at children between 5-15 years old who have little or no exposure to a visual art education.

Growing Young SVG Artists

The educational program is structured over a period of three weeks, during the summer vacation, in the months of July and August. The program is now held in three towns on the island. In the Kingstown area, and the towns of Barrouallie and Georgetown. To help minimize costs, the program is held at one school in each of the towns. Any child interested in attending the program is welcome. The program is accessible to the most needy children of the region. There is no fee for these students.

Students that are not from poor or low -income households, will have access to the program for a fee. In 2005 a fee $20.00 US was charged to the children who could afford to pay in the Kingstown area. In the rural towns of Georgetown and Barrouallie a fee of $3.00 US is charged. This fee is seen as a donation. It does not represent the true cost of the program.

Teacher Training Workshop

Youlou Arts Foundation is deeply committed to the development of the arts in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It is the intention of the foundation to ensure that each primary school student receives the art education needed to become lifelong learners regardless of their learning capabilities and socioeconomic status.

In support of this mission, Youlou Arts Foundation initiated a Teacher Training Workshop for Primary and Secondary School Teachers. The workshop ensures a series of professional development, augmenting training from the Ministry of Education.