Background

Adolescence is a turbulent time when individuals discover themselves through family, friends, academics, and extracurricular activities. At this time, creative self-expression is a powerful tool that can help adolescents understand themselves through art and writing. Creativity holds many benefits as it offers an avenue through which teens can navigate the complexities of adolescence, learn emotional regulation, and enhance self-confidence. 

Unfortunately, adolescents from underserved and marginalized communities often lack access to opportunities for creative expression in school and outside of it. This prevents them from learning about themselves and the world around them and reduces opportunities for social networking and confidence-building. Canvas of Hope was created to address this demographic's lack of creative opportunities and provide them with avenues for self-expression, artistic engagement, and emotional well-being.