Help bring free art classes to the Rockaways and support the artists who lead them.

The mission

Rockaway Art Room exists to make art accessible, joyful, and public. By offering free classes taught by paid artists, we strengthen both the creative lives of our community and the livelihoods of the people who make art.

Rockaway Art Room: Community Art Classes

Status: Pilot phase (fiscally sponsored by Fractured Atlas; fundraising and planning underway)

Rockaway Art Room is a pilot program offering free, in-person art classes for all ages in the Rockaways section of Queens, NY. Classes will be open to the public and taught by paid teaching artists. The pilot phase focuses on planning, fundraising, and program setup in preparation for initial community classes

The goal of the pilot is to provide accessible, neighborhood-based arts programming in an area with limited free cultural offerings while fairly compensating artists for their work.

What the Pilot Includes

• Free art classes for everyone

• Multiple age groups and skill levels

• Teaching artists paid per class

• A limited pilot run to test demand and logistics

Timeline

Proposed pilot period: 3 months
(Exact dates and locations will be confirmed based on funding and partnerships.)

Current Status

This program is in the planning and fundraising phase.
Details will be finalized once funding and space are secured.

About the Organizer

Jamie Soltis is an artist and arts administrator based in Queens with experience in community programming, teaching-artist coordination, and nonprofit arts work.

Contact

For questions, partnerships, or funding inquiries, please email me here.

This pilot is contingent on funding and partnerships.

The total estimated budget for this 3-month program is $19,300. Every contribution helps make free, community art classes possible in the Rockaways.

Ways to support:

$5 → Helps fund free art classes through collective support

$50 → Helps cover materials for one class

$200 → Sponsors one teaching artist session

$2,400 → Sponsors a full 12-class series led by one teaching artist

$ANY → I mean it when I say: every dollar helps bring this project to life!

Thank you for supporting arts in the Rockaways!