Art with purpose for our community, by the community
The Open Doors program was founded in 1989 with financial support from the Junior League of Louisville. It is an umbrella program of classes and art enrichment experiences designed to give a voice to under-served populations including the at-risk youth, refugees and immigrants, senior citizens, victims of domestic abuse and more. Our projects are designed to pair local professional artists with groups who have limited access to the visual arts to collaborate in creating works of self-expression. Projects are tailored to meet specific needs of each population and serve to enrich not only the individual participant, but the community as a whole.
Artists who lead our programs are passionate about facilitating the realization of creative talent and offering tangible tools for communication, engagement, leadership and positive change. The program utilizes the visual arts for:
- Building confidence and leadership skills in at-risk youth
- Raising public awareness by creating meaningful dialogue about a myriad of social issues facing program participants
- Serving as a creative outlet for abused, neglected or otherwise traumatized individuals
- Historically documenting powerful stories
- Neighborhood beautification
- Commemorating community leaders and important events
- Reintegrating the visual arts in education and social activism
- Establishing new relationships through project specific collaboration between participants and community leaders

Open Doors Projects:
Alley mural with Neighborhood House and artist Natalie Anne Dye
Art therapy with GuardiaCare participants and artist Laura Malbasa
Warm/Cool art workshop at VIPS with artist Aron Conaway
Peace-stick construction at Planned Parenthood with artist Collis Marshall
Design at YouthBuild with artist Leticia Bajuyo
Quilt-her-story at Maryhurst with artist Mary Yates
Mask-making at Wheatley Elementary-Crane House with artist Liang Rong
Heritage Holiday Tree construction with artists Morgan, Moore, and Conaway
Mural and installation for World AIDS Day at LOT with artist Tara Remington
Poetry and photo portraiture workshop at Healing Place-ACLU with artist Aron Conaway and poet Emily Ritter
Keith Haring inspired mural in gymnasium at St. Joseph Children’s Home with artists Janet Britt and Tara Remington
Girl’s photo portraiture workshop at Neighborhood House with artist Natalie Anne Dye
Photography exploration exercise at Maryhurst with artist Raegan Stremel
Shadow puppet creation at Wheatley Elementary-Crane House with artist Liang Rong
BANG Perma-sculpture Project with the Center for Neighborhoods, Open Doors Program of the Louisville Visual Art Association, Portland Promise Center, Neighborhood House
Boy’s photo portraiture workshop at Neighborhood House with artist Natalie Anne Dye
Garden pavilion project with Norton Foundation (2012) at YouthBuild with artist Leticia Bajuyo
Drawing sessions at Waterfront Plaza with St. Joseph Church and artist William Duffy
Alley mural (#2) at Neighborhood House with artist Natalie Anne Dye
Program artists (click names to see bios):
Tina Bernstein-Camins
Leticia Bajuyo
Janet Clements Britt
William Duffy
Natalie Anne Dye
Martin Edlin
Jesse Gibbs
Suzy Hatcher
Shawn Hennessey
Clare Hirn
Nico Jorcino
Rong Liang
Laura Malbasa
Collis Marshall
Kevin Molloy
McKinley Moore
Nathan Morgan
Ted Nathanson
Al & Penny Nelson
Tara Remington
Mary Margaret Sparks
Raegan Stremel
Pat Sturtzel
Guy Tedesco
William Wallace
Terry Wunderlich
Mary Yates
Interested in facilitating an Open Doors project?
Send your resume, application form and photos of your artwork to Aron Conaway.
Download the Application Form! |
To discuss the creation of a project for your organization or community, please contact:
Aron Conaway
Open Doors Program Manager
aron@louisvillevisualart.org
502-896-2146 x107
Read Aron's Bio |