Mississippi Young Person’s Cultural Exchange Program

The Mississippi Young Person’s Cultural Exchange Program gave children the opportunity to explore culture through art. In 2000 and 2001, about 150 children from diverse backgrounds growing up in four disparate communities worked with teaching artists to interpret their lives and cultures – for themselves and others.

These young people, ranging in age from 9 to 17, were black and white; lived in rural communities and cities; and came from low income and upper-middle income families. In addition to making art using the same broad themes, the young people visited one another’s communities to view their partners’ art exhibits and to share food and fellowship. Once a year, the children gathered on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for a retreat.

The Mississippi YPCEP (pronounced YIP-SIP) was a partnership of four organizations: the Madison County Cultural Center, Mississippi Cultural Crossroads, Moore Community House, and Operation Shoestring.

These partners wanted to use art – and the conversations that arise from creating and viewing works of art – to help young people gain deeper understandings, first, of themselves as unique individuals and cultural beings and, second, to broaden their understandings of differences and similarities in a diverse society.

After the project ended, the partners published Seen Through Our Eyes, a book showcasing the students' artwork and describing the project.

For a full length project description written by Nayo Watkins, please click here.

To read about the national pilot project click here.