Created in 1994 and still actively and effectively in use today, our Where I Live program is the embodiment of our vision: introducing the power of the arts to activate imagination, education and positive social change.

Our Where I Live programs invite participants’ creation of an original image and text in response to two primary questions:

“What could help my community?” and “What can I do to help make a difference?” Where I Live/WIL’s active-learning methodology provides opportunities and support for participants to develop their ideas, build new and valuable skills, and experience their potential to effect positive change in their own lives and in their neighborhoods. WIL can be easily employed in a wide variety of settings for participants of all ages. It is as easily adapted for educators’ and mentors’ work with youth as it is for social service, community development and urban planning work with constituents.

In schools, over 92% of teachers witnessed an overall improvement in student participants' academic progress, 99% of students themselves reported feeling more confident academically and 93% of students reported they were more likely to volunteer in their communities as a result of their WIL participation.

For community center and urban planning initiatives, WIL formats have been tailored and employed to engage the voices and viewpoints of residents in the design and development of essential programs, structures and services for the neighborhoods where they live.

To date, WIL programs and exhibitions have benefitted more than 30,000 individuals around the world.

MABP works with you and your organization, initiative or institution to identify challenges and opportunities and to develop need-specific programs, curricula and supports to enhance and enrich your work.

MABP collaborates with and authors new programs and curricula support for numerous partners within the cultural, social service and educational sectors. We are honored to have shared our methodology and expertise with a broad range of outstanding organizations including: the New York City Department of Education, CUNY/City Universities of New York and The Mayor’s Office of Paris, Department of Urban Planning.

For all of our partners, MABP’s innovative, arts-integrated and cross-disciplinary approach works to:

● encourage and support diverse perspectives

● foster productive dialogue

● build new skills and ways of seeing

● empower participants toward personal growth and an active role in improving their own lives and their communities

MABP sustains the benefits of its work with innovative, active-learning professional development.

Our workshops and opportunities for professionals provide invaluable program support, open new opportunities for interaction between teachers and between students and teachers, and promote dialogue and communities of learning in the classroom.

Our training and workshops also enrich the ongoing work of a wide variety of cultural, social service and community development organizations.

MABP workshops and opportunities help professionals: 

● implement MABP programs

● integrate our methodology, practices and strategies into their own work

● acquire new ways of seeing and thinking

● sustain these benefits over the lives of their careers

MABP professional development support enrichis the work of professionals from a broad and diverse range of organisations, programs and entities. Examples include: 

● YIC/YL, an active-learning training forum for NYC Department of Education teaching fellows across the five boroughs of New York

● program and staff development for Centre de la Gabrielle, a platform of establishments and services for children, adolescents and adults in situations of mental and emotional challenge

● curriculum development and training and support for teachers, and trainers of teachers, for CUNY/ City Universities of New York/College Now

● training for high school educators, across subject areas, as part of The National Writer’s Workshop

We are currently developing and fundraising for exciting new programs and projects that employ the arts as a focus for engagement with essential social themes. 

In addition to our ongoing advisory, program and professional development services, we are always looking for ways to expand and sustain the benefits of our work and share best practices. Programs and projects currently in development include:

The Talking Trees/The Power of Voice: An educational experience designed for schools and for the general public, The Talking Trees combines imagery and sound to provide participants an experience of myriad cultures and perspectives. Initial pilot programs for professionals and students across multiple disciplines have been enthusiastically received. We are currently seeking support to further develop this program and its implementation.

Where I Live Activities Guide and Leaders’ Guide Translations: Support for translations of our Where I Live Lesson Plans and Activity Guides to Spanish, French and Chinese will help us provide important new opportunities for dialogue, engagement and inclusion in this international project.