“The beautiful setting, ample parking, warmth and professionalism of their staff and volunteers creates the perfect setting to celebrate creativity and gather community!”
Art is everywhere, but unfortunately sometimes we can’t see it unless special people go the extra distance to find it and share it with the world. The DrawBridge organization, and its Executive Director Tracy Bays-Boothe, are those exact people. They connect children with creativity and community through free expressive art programs at shelters, affordable housing facilities, and community centers across the Bay Area. By collaborating with Marin Art and Garden Center, they create opportunities for art to reach people it may never reach otherwise.
“I was first introduced to the Marin Art and Garden Center when I was invited to participate in a listening session with community organizations and members of the MAGC Board of Trustees,” Tracy says. “I was impressed by the staff and board’s openness and drive to make the Center an inclusive gathering space for all people of Marin. This wonderful introduction led to additional meetings
with the staff and eventual program collaborations between the Center and our organization.”
Tracy Bays-Boothe has been an arts educator and nonprofit leader for more than two decades. Originally from Texas, she held previous leadership positions at the Dallas Museum of Art and Crow Museum of Asian Art before moving to the Bay Area to serve as Associate Director at the Museum of Craft and Design. She joined DrawBridge in 2021 and has been consistently opening opportunity’s door for young artists ever since.
“This past spring, the work of talented DrawBridge youth artists was celebrated with a new exhibition, Drawn Together: Celebrating DrawBridge Youth Artists,” Tracy says. “Featuring the works of children who have experienced housing insecurity, the exhibition celebrated the power of creativity to bring us together.
“As part of the celebration, the works of DrawBridge youth artists were exhibited at each of the children’s program sites, complete with receptions for families and caregivers. A traveling pop-up exhibition of select works followed, hosted at galleries, museums, local businesses, and festivals throughout the Bay Area. The exhibition concluded with a closing party for the public at the Marin Art and Garden Center and featured a viewing of the artworks in the Center’s studio, plus family art activities and picnic treats in the gardens.”
On that beautiful June day, people throughout the Bay Area came to Marin Art and Garden Center to all-at-once learn about DrawBridge’s mission, socialize, have fun, discover emerging talent, and view charming original works of art.
“The Drawn Together Closing Celebration at the Marin Art and Garden Center was a wonderful success, welcoming community partners, parents, stakeholders, and the public together to celebrate the talent of DrawBridge’s youth artists,” Tracy says. “The Center was the ideal location for such an all-ages event, with opportunities to utilize the studio and enjoy the program within the Center’s beautiful garden spaces. We would be honored to continue such partnerships in the future!”
The partnership between Marin Art and Garden Center and DrawBridge has been rewarding for both organizations. By welcoming underserved and vulnerable populations, the Center carries on the vision of its founders and ensures that it is forever first and foremost a welcoming and inspiring gathering place for all.
“We have been so lucky to have worked with and developed positive relationships with the wonderful Marin Art and Garden Center staff members who graciously supported such collaborations and helped make our event a seamless success,” Tracy says. “Their kindness, professionalism, and willingness to work with organizations of all sizes and budgets made our staff, board, and guests feel welcome and valued. I would recommend working with them without hesitation. The beautiful setting, ample parking, warmth and professionalism of their staff and volunteers creates the perfect setting to celebrate creativity and gather community!”
