The Project

The O’Keeffe Art and Leadership Program for Boys, an intensive summer program, serves 11 through 13-year-olds from Santa Fe Public Schools at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Students are nominated by their teachers because they are drawn to the arts and may face the challenges of at-risk youths. The program offers artist role models and aims to improve literacy skills, problem-solving, independent thinking, and artistic development. Equally important, it serves as a safe haven. Boys receive support, encouragement, and leadership training, offering an alternative to failure and low expectations. The artworks shown here are from the program’s “Atlas Project”: the boys learned about the Greek myth of Atlas and created their personal interpretations of carrying the weight of the world, representing the challenges and burdens young men face today. The program developed out of the museum’s renowned O’Keeffe Art and Leadership Program for Girls, using Georgia O’Keeffe as a role model. 

To hear Jackie M, Director of Education and Public Programs, and Michael Vilardi, high school intern and program alum, describe this program, access the free Guide by Cell audio tour: call 202-595-1193 and dial #2.