Content within the community: a look at content driven community-based art practices and the results of an after school art program

The purpose of this research was to study the ways in which a content driven after-school art program focused on community-based art projects inspires high school students to create work that are personal and purposeful. This study involved members of the Hempstead High School Art Club. I collected data in various ways including focus groups video recording, journal reflections, and observations with Art club members who meet monthly to discuss the project and biweekly to work on the project. My plan was to gather information on the effectiveness of a content driven after school art club in the teaching and learning of visual art. Through my research I hoped to discover the benefits and drawbacks of an after school art program as compared to a regular art classroom setting and the implementation of content driven art projects. Finally, I hoped to study and analyze the effects such a program would have on a student's understanding of the purpose of creating community-based art.