Our Story
Get to Know Art As Mentorship
Our Vision
Art as Mentorship envisions an inclusive community where under-represented artists are emboldened to raise their voices through music. We will transform young artists through access to world-class mentorship, real-world skill development and mental health support. We believe the future will be made brighter by enabling the healing qualities of music to unite us and serve as a vehicle for social change.
Art as Mentorship is the only organization in the Midwest building a network of GRAMMY award-winning and world-class musicians to serve as mentors to young artists. As mentors, they inspire student artists to raise their voices and create original music that is grounded in their culture and personal experience.
We believe in music education that encompasses the whole child, family and their connection to the community. Our programs teach them self-confidence, emotional intelligence, discipline and entrepreneurial skills, which help them create their own vision for a successful life.
Who We Are
Enrique Chi officially founded Art As Mentorship in 2017. Enrique is the lead guitarist and vocalist for the Latin GRAMMY-nominated, Kansas City-based band Making Movies.
What began a decade ago as an after school music program for an under-served community has grown into an organized network of international performing artists committed to guiding the next generation through the power of music.
Connection
Our ability to connect students directly with a variety of internationally recognized mentors has bolstered the evolution of our Rebel Song Academy. These include Grammy, Billboard, and Austin Music Award winners and certified-platinum recording artists.
Exploration
Art as Mentorship takes an innovative approach to exploring our young artists’ full potential through creativity, independence, and spontaneity, fostering their inherent sense of exploration and achievement.
Guidance
Our curriculums guide participants through the entire artistic process, building life and career skills as we collaborate through writing, recording, producing, and promoting music—all consistent with modern industry practices. We hope these skills will propel the next generation forward on their personal path to creativity, knowledge, and self-discovery.
Our Approach
Art as Mentorship takes an innovative approach to exploring young artists’ full potential through creativity, mentorship opportunities, and fostering their inherent sense of exploration and achievement.
Mental health practices are threaded throughout our programs for children and adolescents. Our programs help them invest in music as a way to channel their anxiety and as an alternative to forms of addiction. Our objective is to identify barriers to opportunities due to mental health issues, learning disabilities, substance misuse, and those from the LGBTQIA, and Black, Latino, Asian and minority or immigrant communities.
Our curriculums guide participants through the entire artistic process, building life and career skills as we collaborate through music writing, recording, producing, and promoting — all consistent with modern industry practices. It’s our vision that these skills will project the next generation forward on their personal path to write their own success story.
We C.A.R.E. Deeply
From the initial creative spark, to sharing their art with the world, young artists need a village of mentors and peers to help them find individual success. Art as Mentorship has designed The C.A.R.E. Method to deconstruct the entire creative process in music to include:
- Creation—Harness the fundamental creative spark.
- Alchemy—Find the right elements to make magic.
- Release—Design an intentional plan to share your creation.
- Experiment—Enter the lifelong journey of building authentic audiences.
The C.A.R.E. Method is at the heart of all we do as an organization to empower young people, through music, to write their own success story.
We Make W.A.V.E.S.
We are all mentors and students.
Art is imperfect, progress is perfection.
Vulnerability is powerful and to be celebrated.
Encourage those around you.
Self-discovery is a worthwhile journey.
Expanding Production
Despite the pandemic, our Rebel Song Academy expanded its production in 2020, offering 27 shows/programs for students from across the country. Our ability has bolstered the evolution of our Rebel Song Academy to connect students directly with a variety of internationally recognized mentors. Our student body grew to over 263 individuals, with 53 of those being out-of-state students. During 2020, fourteen songs were written, performed, and recorded in various studios and through virtual recording tools. In 2021 and 2022, we’ve been able to return to in-person programming, resulting in serving over 60 kids, recording 25 songs at The LAB, launching our first annual music festival, and moving into our new HQ!
Support Our Students
Support the growth of our students through enhancement of musical abilities to fuel more creative and passionate lives! It is through the support of the community that makes it possible for us to deliver the best possible curriculum to our students. Your contribution will have a lasting impact on the lives of those we are mentoring. We thank you for your support of the next generation of creative artists.