Health as Cultural Wealth: Claymaking & Community
What’s next?
The first session of Claymaking & Community is set to take place in August 2025, during our annual trip to Huacahuasi. Currently, ___ artists-in-residence are enrolled to help facilitate the program, which will be held in the school in Huacahuasi. Stay tuned on our social media for updates on the program, and click HERE to help keep programs like these alive!
Overview
In recognition of the economic dimension of healthcare access in Huacahuasi, SPP is launching the Claymaking & Community Empowerment Program.
This project will bring an artist-in-residence to the community for an 8-week summer program focused on traditional and contemporary clay-making techniques.
In partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts, the Claymaking & Community Project hopes to leverage community members’ artwork for financial sustainability and to empower kids to appreciate and showcase local Andean culture through the teaching of sustainable clay-making techniques.
Purpose behind the project
The Claymaking & Community Empowerment Program seeks to provide hands-on arts education, foster cultural exchange, and empower local school children to become artisans. Building up the arts has the potential to leverage community members’ artwork for financial sustainability—directly contributing toward the funding and development of SPP’s health clinic fundraising initiative. The project also hopes to empower kids to appreciate and showcase local Andean culture through the teaching of sustainable clay-making techniques.