To support Youth of Color and Communities affected by Covid-19 in Winchester, Virginia and the Northern Shenandoah Valley, Arte Libre VA (ALVA) will present a series of projects and programs that will use the arts as a way to uplift and support our Communities in this time of crisis and trauma.  This program is called Arte Libre in the Time of Corona.  

The first phase of Arte Libre in the Time of Corona is creating an Free ALVA Art Kit, with art supplies and project ideas, that will be delivered to Youth of Color in identified partner programs and to those who don't have access to the arts due to the Covid-19 pandemic, free of charge, during the month of May.  ALVA will arrange no-contact delivery of Free ALVA Art Kits for up to 240 participating Youth.

The second phase of this program is commissioning artists and teaching artists to create original artwork and web-based content for ALVA to present to Youth of Color and communities affected by Covid-19, as Free Virtual ALVA Workshops.  Content generated will be in Spanish, as well as English.  This will provide paid work for up to 20 artists and 10 teaching artists, as well as free access for Youth of Color to quality arts education and programming.

The third element of Arte Libre in the Time of Corona is facilitating a series of Virtual Community Mural Collaborations.  Mural panels will be painted by ALVA founder and artist Abigail Gomez, after Youth of Color and members of the community contribute the imagery and content for the mural panels, which will then be installed in public spaces.  The murals will be informed and created by Youth, collaborating virtually in this time of physical distancing.