MISSION, VISION & VALUES

Mission

Baltimore Youth Arts is a creative entrepreneurship and job training program that provides artistic and professional opportunities to young people ages 14-25, focusing on those involved in the justice system. Our mission is to assist young people in gaining the creative, personal, and educational skills that will enable them to become leaders in their communities.

BYA believes the arts are a path towards personal liberation and self-sufficiency and that they not only positively impact people facing incarceration but also the justice system and perceptions held by the greater community.

BYA uses the arts to engage youth to build long-lasting mentoring relationships. We provide artistic, entrepreneurial, and leadership opportunities to young people to hone their talents and use them to shape the world.

Vision

Baltimore Youth Arts (BYA) envisions a world where all young people have equal access to opportunities that allow them to discover their purpose.

Values

Hope:  No matter what background a person is from, no matter what choices they have made, they are always capable of making a positive impact in their own and others’ lives. 

Connection: Relationship-building is at the core of our work. We aim to develop long-lasting relationships that span adolescence and early adulthood.

Trust: Believe in the people who make up this community and respect their decisions.

Inquiry: Experiment and ask questions. Meet each person where they are and help foster their creative exploration.

Risk: Take chances, personally and creatively.  Embrace each mistake and learn from them.