Creative Journeys is a unique creative art program hosted by Westman Youth for Christ/Youth Unlimited that offers young people, ages 17-29 opportunities to be creative in a safe and encouraging environment in the City of Brandon.
Therapeutic Art Coach and Creative Journeys Program Director for Brandon and Area Youth for Christ, Dawn Redlin, says much of the funding for their art programs is through private donations as well as through their annual spring art show and sale that takes place in mid-May.
The Westman YFC creative art programs offer meals and snacks, access to art supplies and creative learning opportunities free of charge for participants that attend. They also offer one-on-one therapeutic art coaching for youth in the Westman Region.
Redlin says they focus more on young people from ages 17-29 with their programs because participants are more independent.
"Some of them are part of our housing programs, and many are still in school, so we work generally with that age group," she explains. "Not all of our participants are in our programs. We have youth who are not part of only our art programs, and this is our only way of connecting with them. And then we have those who are plugged into a few of our programs. So, it's a wide variety."
Redlin says the beautiful thing about art is that everyone connects on their own level in their own unique way.
"And it's so encouraging to see the changes that can happen to a person just through being creative," she adds. "It can be so inspiring and uplifting, or even just a way of processing something that someone may have gone through. It just allows another way of processing other than trying to use your words."
The 2025 Annual Fundraising Art Exhibition and Sale takes place May 22-23 at the Firehall Event Venue in Brandon with all proceeds going to the Westman YFC art program.
Redlin says they're very excited to see what's in store for this year's art exhibit, this being their 3rd year.
"I feel like the last 2 events that we've had were so beautiful and well-attended and we're just hoping that we're going to have even more art on display this year," she shares. "I've reached out to Brandon University's Fine Arts Department and maybe we'll get some artists from there! And then of course we have artists who have participated in the last two and they're returning again this year. We'll have art from some of the youth in our art programs. So, we're really looking forward to seeing what is on display this year!"
Artists are encouraged up to 3 pieces. Tickets to attend the event can be purchased at the Westman Youth for Christ office in Brandon.
For more information on private donations, submitting art pieces for their upcoming Art Exhibition Fundraiser, and to learn more about their programming, please visit their website at www.yfc.ca/westman. Also, you can stop by at 1228-Rosser Avenue in Brandon.
"We also accept donations of food and baking," adds Redlin. "The youth love to have homemade cookies, that's always a big hit. We also accept donations of art supplies. We can always use canvases and paints, brushes, those kinds of things."