Our Approach to Partnership

Brushwood Center collaborates closely with community partners to offer art and nature programs with youth, families, Military Veterans, seniors, artists, and area residents. Our program strategy is rooted in the asset-based community engagement model, focusing on community strengths and assets rather than on deficits and problems. Specifically, Brushwood Center prioritizes: 

• Building authentic, long-term relationships with community-based organizations and partners; 
• Collaborating with community assets to develop mutually beneficial programs and contributing resources where needed to advance the health of people and the planet; and
• Combatting settler colonial legacies and false narratives, such as white saviorism, through cultural and artistic platforms.

What Does Partnership Look Like?

Brushwood Center's partnerships are built on long-term relationships with community organizations, support groups, or individuals.  We have the ability to collaborate on a variety of programs, art projects, volunteer efforts, and more!  While we are based out of the Ryerson Woods Forest Preserve, we conduct and partner on programs across Lake County and the Chicagoland region, both in person and virtually. Some examples of our partnership opportunities include:

• Summer or after-school youth programming;
• Family-friendly art and nature programming;
• Art and nature programming for Military Veterans, active service members, and their families;
• Public art programs and exhibitions;
  
• Providing art supplies from the Brushwood Art Supply Exchange;
• Hosting professional development opportunities for educators or health care professionals

For New Partners

Our team is always open to meet with new partners and explore potential avenues for collaboration.  We like to meet with new partners several times ahead of doing any programming, to ensure that we understand each other's goals, can learn about the work your organization is doing, and find ways that we can support each others' efforts.  If you are interested in collaborating or learning more about any of our programs, please contact our Manager of Community Programs and Partnerships, Dani Abboud.

Thank you to Brushwood Center’s many nonprofit and community partners across the Chicago region!