As we move into the week before the closing exhibition, Problem Library is a fully-fledged young artists’ workshop. Installations are taking shape, prints are coming back, and final touches are coming together.

The closing exhibition is from 4—7pm on Saturday, August 27 at Problem Library.

There will be a brief talk about what we have learned and how to support Problem Children at 5pm. We look forward to seeing you.

Saturday August 27 at 1288 15th Ave St, San Francisco.
4—7pm: Public reception
5pm: Brief fundraising presentation

It has been inspiring to see these young artists use the resources and space we have created for them. Most students are in the workshop three to four times a week, staying four to six hours at a time. Their commitment speaks to the dedication I mentioned in the last update email. Watching it blossom has been a blessing.

More importantly, this is a reminder that if we give people the opportunity to do something great, they will. It reminds us that creative spirits want to be dared into greatness – they want to grow. Problem Children aims to honor this motivation, to nourish it, to encourage it.

There have been many unprompted comments about what the workshop means to the students. If you know a teenager, the rarity of unprompted appreciation will not be lost on you. Moreover, there have been striking moments where students hit milestones and get the chance to relish what they have accomplished. The workshop is a space for moments like these – moments that reinforce the joy of completing something difficult, of sustained effort.

Over the coming months we will solidify a plan for continuing to offer this space to artists of all stripes. If you’d like to learn more or share thoughts, please reach out.

The closing exhibition promises to be a lively and expansive representation of what Problem Children is. We look forward to showing you around and offering the background needed to see what has happened over the last three months.

Pardon the cliché, but it is hard for me to believe this summer’s program is closing so soon. It has been more challenging, rewarding, and collaborative than we could have imagined. It has inspired us to continue building Problem Children and to offer this context for growth and dedication to Bay Area youth.

Now in its fifth year, the program is finally revealing the impact it can have. We look forward to more growth and challenges. We need your help and support to bring the vision and possibility to more students over the coming months and years.

Join us in supporting the future creative (and human) potential of the next generation by committing your financial means directly to Problem Children.