Together, we work every Saturday with the children and families to share the heritage, art and oral history of this tradition. This includes creating artwork that elaborates components of the traditional Indian costume and the performances of traditional chants and dances. The Creole Wild West Mardi Gras Indians are a tight knit traditional community that preserves a complex music and art culture. Surviving from African tribes brought to New Orleans in slavery, Mardi Gras Indian costumes are a fine example of traditional African-American folk art. Hoping to help re-discover this essentially hidden traditional culture, we also hope to help the Mardi Gras Indians gain recognition for their spiritual and material contribution to our society.

“On February 3rd of 2012, the New Orleans Museum of Art opened its doors to host a Friday night with Artfully AWARE (AfA) as a part of our Where Y’Art programming. The event was a visual dream of NOMA’s permanent collection mixing together with the eclectic artwork of children, adults and internationally recognized artists brought in by AfA. During the span of five hours, nearly 2,000 guests came to the Museum to view this unique exhibition. The vibe throughout the night was one of celebration and the love for art. The professionalism and collaboration with Artfully AWARE is something the staff and supporters of the New Orleans Museum of Art will remember for a very long time to come!” Brad J. Caldwell, Public Events Manager at the New Orleans Museum of Art

“This deluge of freshness is a reassurance that we must tap the generation of the future with art in all forms. The creativity of the civic engagement and the collective effort brought together by Artfully AWARE provoked energy that was contagious. The chorus of conversations was infectious, a new sound within the Great Hall that would not retreat. Undisputedly creative, exciting and futuristic, this event was a meeting place for the arts community and interactivity. This is an exceptional project experienced by thousands in one of the largest audiences in one day to the museum. In one evening, education enrichment was witnessed and appreciated by people who have never been inside a museum. The participatory atmosphere included unusual sources of inspiration. Exploring paintings and creative writing from dozens of New Orleans based schools, health centers and community groups that were intertwined among the permanent collection of master artworks. The idea being that the great artist, too, had humble beginnings. It also brought about social reform: by knowing from where you came and walking into the doors of the museum, your work was a part of a whole. The appreciation of the arts proved the global connection between New Orleans and the international works represented from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa, England, Egypt, China, Panama, Uganda, Cuba, the Himalayas, Vietnam and Haiti. The person on the street has now been informed about what exists in New Orleans, and the artist can now say with great pride that their works have been exhibited or performed within the New Orleans Museum of Art.” Beryl F. Hunter, Independent Museum Professional

View our special photo album highlighting the entire evening by clicking here. Photos by: Adam J Waggenspack, John Coonrod, Lizzie Ford-Madrid and NOMA photographer.

On Friday, February 3, Artfully AWARE took over the New Orleans Museum of Art for a special event. For a night that celebrated the rich diversity of New Orleans, children and adults from across the community and the world contributed artwork and creative writing that was displayed in the Great Hall and surrounding galleries. There were over 100 participating schools, community groups, health centers, organizations and professional artists.

The evening began with a performance by the Mardi Gras Indian tribe, the Guardians of the Flame. Michael Watson, the musical director of Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse, played with his Quartet, cellist Monica McIntyre entertained the crowd and the New Orleans Dance Collective performed an inspiring dance piece based on unity.

Nearly 2,000 visitors interacted with professional writers and artists from A Studio in the Woods, caught a literary reading organized by the Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society, listened to original poetry and prose read by students from the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, viewed photography that reflects the Sierra Club’s local environmental efforts, heard speakers from the Young Leadership Council and watched short films selected by FosterBear Films that explored human rights issues. One Million Bones, a hands-on art initiative that raises genocide awareness, exhibited a powerful installation that contained handmade bones suspended in water.

The Ogden Museum of Southern Art displayed their Artists and Sense of Place exhibit, which paired students with artists and explored the influence of situation and geography on their lives, and the Contemporary Arts Center’s Teen Board showed a short film about self identity, alongside a selection of handmade masks. All visitors received a booklet of short stories and visual art created by AfA participants.

A special thank you to the New Orleans Hornets for providing tickets to an NBA basketball game for winners of our community and school art competition. Also, enormous thanks to the staff at the New Orleans Museum of Art and to FosterBear Films for putting together a film on our participants’ behalf. Stay tuned!

Read the full participants list by clicking here.

New campaign coming soon.

In the meantime click here.

My appeal to Artfully AWARE is that you continue to help and encourage us in the various activities that we take part in. Our painting and coloring is now beginning to earn us a living, and we are pleased that AfA is giving us vigor. We shall continue living positively.”

Irene Akiring. Tororo, Uganda

We are extremely proud to announce that our storybook is now available through Amazon.com. It is suitable for children over the age of five, and it makes a wonderful gift for friends and family, as well as a great educational resource for the classroom and at home.

Purchase Book link: www.amazon.com

The Story of the Acholi – A Village Tale from Uganda was made possible through a strong collaboration between Artfully AWARE, Childcare and Development Organization and Karin Parents Association. 100% of proceeds raised through the purchase of our book goes straight back into developing more educational arts programs for community members in Uganda to promote empowerment, support psychological well-being, increase self-esteem and enhance local capacity building.

View our photo album of how this project developed with community members by clicking here.

“Cultural ties contribute to the social, psychological, therapeutic and educational existence of Ugandans. This storybook is the culmination of hundreds of community members’ ideas, thoughts, hopes and dreams. The illustrations were first created in 2008 in Tororo and by August 2011, Gulu residents wrote their own personal recollections in diaries describing events they lived through. They painted scenes depicting their beautiful and sometimes harrowing tales. As a collective group, we combined the essays into one – to colorfully tell the story of the Acholi people. We hope this storybook will bring Ugandan readers closer together and allow the chance for others around the world to share in this experience, while learning about northern Uganda’s remarkable culture and its people.” Hilary Wallis, Founder and Executive Director of Artfully AWARE

The Story of the Acholi – A Village Tale from Uganda was made possible through a strong collaboration between Artfully AWARE, Childcare and Development Organization and Karin Parents Association.

Text copyright © 2011 by members of Karin Parents Association in Gulu District, Uganda. Illustrations copyright © 2008 and 2011 by members of Karin Parents Association, as well as Kwapa and Nyalakot Post Test Clubs in Tororo District. Book design by Hilary Wallis. ISBN-10: 1475027753 / EAN-13: 978-1475027754

The Artfully AWARE Storybook Program was taught by Hilary Wallis, Justin Igala and Brian Pade in Gulu District. Participants from the Karin Parents Association included: Joyce Ojara, Alex Ojera, Richard Okello, George Nyeko, Santo Okongo, Fred Otema, Joseph Okello, Juliet Ochola, Zura Akech, Rose Oryem, Nancy Minala, Susan Onen, Jimmy Elvis Obwoya, Lawrence Ayella, Ivan Kakamyero, Jimmy Tuku, Goretty Anyadwe, David Oryem, Betty Acire, Christine Adee, Beatrice Akera, Jennifer Olya, Eunice Acen, Rose Otto, Nobert Ojok, Beatrice Aceng and Dennis Oyat. Leadership was provided by Hope Ygo Okeny and Hellen Akwero.

Additional illustrations were created by Justin Igala, Brian Pade, Gerald Kabuye and community members in Tororo District that include: Julius Otim, Priscillah Auma, Henry Muruga, Silver Ochiengit, Paul Ikosit, O.F., Rachel Namata, Geofrey Inyaino, Ali Kitere, Jude Omaches, Haumba Tohnbosco, Martin Ochapet, Mary Adikini, Lam Owor, Oti, David Amar, Paul Olweny, Christine Athieno, F. P. Omoding, Joyce Achipa, youth from Tororo Youth Centre, members from Kwapa Post Test Club and members from Nyalakot Post Test Club.