ARTreach and the Institute of International Education hosted a delegation from Iraq, coming to Houston through the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program (http://exchanges.state.gov/education/ivp/) on, November 6th. 

Traveling under the program title “Performing Arts,” the delegation was composed of nine individuals, including several officials from the Ministry of Culture.  During their U.S. tour, these visitors were examining the role of performing arts in the community, including education and wider-audience promotion.  While in Houston, the delegation expressed an interest in learning more about the impact of the arts in the Juvenile Justice system and the work begin done through ARTreach, a small non profit from Katy, Texas focused on art education and outreach to neglected populations.

ARTreach introduced the delegation to the international dance companies URGEWORKS and Havikoro through a program designed for the youth at the Fort Bend County Juvenile Detention Center. This ARTreach program utilizes the talents of the dancers and the hip hop culture to motivate the youth to make better choices, avoid negative influences, seek positive people and remain true to their heart.   The testimony of the dancers adds impact to the presentation.   ARTreach is a 501 c3 non profit organization that fundraises to bring the arts to troubled youth and children at risk in Katy, Houston and Fort Bend County. The organization utilizes the arts in the juvenile justice system as a way teach troubled youth constructive, productive and creative ways to express themselves through dance, music, graphic design, spoken word, RAP and creative writing. 

The delegation from Iraq was impressed by the presentation, and ARTreach and the Fort Bend County juvenile probation department’s staff enjoyed an exchange of ideas concerning the arts and the positive impact the arts can have on society.  Several members of this delegation were also involved in a cultural program recently arranged by the organization American Voices that brought U.S. artists to perform in a number of concerts in Bagdad last February and in a summer Unity Academy in Erbil, N. Iraq.

More information about the Iraq project is available on line at http://www.americanvoices.org
ABC Nightly News Broadcast at:  http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3418287
Carole McCann on Houston’s Channel 2,