artMOBILE (since 1995)

artMOBILE is considered a cornerstone of New Bedford Art Museum's programs and mission. This unique arts outreach program began the summer before the New Bedford Art Museum officially opened its doors to the public in 1996.

Operating much like a bookmobile, delivering the program to youth who would otherwise not be able to participate, the artMOBILE program is popular and much loved by the greater New Bedford community.

SuMmerART (since 2002)

NBAM's SuMmerART program began in 2002, offering an in-Museum summer art program. Thirty-five students ranging in age from 8 to 15 participated from one to three mornings per week from 9 a.m. to noon in this exciting program.

Sponsored by the City of New Bedford's Invest-In-Kids Program and the New Bedford Prevention Partnership, the Museum was very much alive in the Education Center as 12 to 15 youth worked on projects as three-dimentional animal sculpture, masks, memory boxes and hand-painted ceramic tiles.

Invest-in-Kids (since 1998)

NBAM has conducted after-school art programs sponsored by the City of New Bedford's initiative Invest-In-Kids (formerly the Links Program) since 1998.

NBAM and other youth service providers partner to offer afternoon activities to a youth population, filling a critical need during a high teen crime time (3 to 6 p.m.). Current exhibits at NBAM provide the theme for the after-school art activities, incorporating a "museum educational" experience with actual art-making.

After school activities are offered to approximately 135 fifth through eighth grade students per year from selected schools in New Bedford.

Transportation is arranged to pick students up at their schools at 2:30 p.m., brought to NBAM to participate in the program until 5 p.m., then transported home. More than 500 youth have participated in this much-acclaimed after-school collaboration.