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These are instructions for how to adapt acclaimed artist/activist Favianna Rodriguez’s Social Justice Poster Making Workshop to a “Workshop in a Bag” model that you can assemble yourself and distribute to young people in your community to amplify youth voices. These “Workshop in a Bag” art kits can be distributed to kids 8 years and older (depending on reading level and individual personality) for self directed art making. Younger kids will need a loving caregiver or older sibling to partner with them. See this blog post for more information on how to adapt for younger kids.
I used this process to assemble 40 “Workshop in a Bag” art kits that I will be giving to a local nonprofit that works with youth in my community for distribution to kids. I spent about $80 on materials for 40 kits in addition to the help of my home printer. You can easily assemble kits just like this to distribute to youth in your community, too.
Don’t know where to reach out for free distribution to kids? Check your local YMCA, neighborhood public school, Boys and Girls Club, or nonprofits who work with youth. A lot of summer programs look different this year due to COVID-19, and I’m sure programs in your city would be eager to receive art kit donations their youth could take home to engage with.
Materials
- 40 gallon sized plastic bags
- 40+ washable markers (I did just one marker per kit–you can do more if your budget allows for it)
- 40 glue sticks
- Bright, colorful letter sized paper for printing images on
- Bright, colorful letter sized paper to include in the kit as is
- 7-10 copies of pages 17-33 of Favianna’s Poster Making Workshop printed on bright, colorful letter sized paper (these are images to be used for poster making. You want at least 3-5 different images per kit)
- Printable version of Favianna’s Workshop (see link below, one per bag)
- Printable “Workshop in a Bag” art kit label (see link below, one taped to the front of each bag)
- Tape for taping “Workshop in a Bag” kit label to each gallon art kit bag
Free Printable of Favianna’s Workshop
Please note one version is for those of you with a two sided printer and one version is for those of you who can only print one sided.
“Workshop in a Bag” Label for art kit
You can tape these to the front of each bag.
I hope you have the ability to join me in assembling some “Workshop in a Bag” art kits using Favianna Rodriguez’s incredible Social Justice Poster Making Workshop. Let’s work together to give youth in our communities the tools they need to amplify their voices. They are our future!
Make sure to tag Favianna on Instagram @favianna1 so she can see the finished posters.
