The Community Youth Arts Project is a program for artists between the ages of 18 and 30 who face the greatest barriers to employment. The focus of the program is to help youth overcome barriers to employment and to help youth develop a variety of skills and knowledge in order to participate in the current and future labour market. It is dedicated to promoting education and life skills as well as life-long learning and career development in the arts as being the key to labour market participation. The thirty-six week program offers a studio as a site for the artists to work as a collective as well as acts as a catalyst for creative activity and experiences.

The project operates mainly out of the HarbourSide Studio located at 74 Harbour Drive in the heart of downtown St. John’s, and is administered by the Murphy Centre. The project is a client-centered program designed to respond to the individual needs of youth facing barriers to employment. It offers a variety of activities that can be utilized to provide individualized and integrated support. It is dedicated to creativity, building self-esteem and employability skills; it is open to participation from young artists that seek the guidance that we offer.

At the Murphy Centre’s HarbourSide Studio, artists have access to professional advice and career planning & enhancement. Community Volunteer Service that the project offers often leads to collaborations with other artists as well as the many programs within the arts community. The strong support and emphasis on the studio-based work and idea-driven practice, subsequently avails participants to come into contact with curators, leaders and opportunities for professional skills development.