ARTsmart is the Community Service Program of the Loyola Marymount University Department of Art and Art History.
The mission of ARTsmart is to provide underserved young people with access to an education in the visual arts that will provide both the instrumental and the intrinsic benefits necessary to become a well-rounded, productive member of a rapidly changing society.

Each semester students from the Department of Art and Art History volunteer to teach fine art lessons to Kindergarten through 8th grade students in local underserved and culturally diverse communities. Usually isolated in their studios, these LMU students, with their art knowledge and technical expertise, are reaching out to the young artists in their neighborhood to teach what they love. Coming from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines—including fine art, graphic design, multimedia arts, art history, animation, and liberal studies—the mentors work in teams, each bringing his or her own interests into the classroom. Together they develop lesson plans and lead the classes in art projects that incorporate formal art issues, art history, visual culture, social justice issues, and standards-based education. Ultimately, ARTsmart’s goal is to create an appetite for exploration and visual literacy and encourage the university mission of educating individuals in service to others. 

Over the years the visual arts have been cut from most school curricula. LMU ARTsmart brings this basic need back into the classroom. Students who participate in the visual arts develop a structure for responding to and symbolizing their experiences. Students begin to derive pleasure from their accomplishments as they gain flexibility and confidence from having direct experiences with the visual arts. The results of the LMU ARTsmart program are not only an appreciation for fine art but also an explosion of creativity.

LMU students who volunteer with ARTsmart gain real-world teaching experience, have a great deal of fun, and get to enjoy the satisfaction of giving back to the community and sharing what they love most—ART!

LMU Studio Art or Art History Majors who wish to volunteer should contact Terry Lenihan for details at 310-338-4409.
You may also email her at artsmart@lmu.edu