The Arts Advocacy was founded by Kelli Drum, a professional artist, art vlogger, and owner of K. Nicole Studios. Raised by a single mother who was sometimes forced to rely on the kindness of strangers to get by, Kelli felt compelled to pay her own success forward as an adult by helping others tap into the healing power of art.
In March of 2021, Kelli broke her dominant right arm, resulting in surgery, leaving her unable to paint. The surgeon had to use 2 titanium plates and 12 screws to put her arm back together. As she grieved the loss of mobility and its effect on her art career, her therapist recommended she continue painting left-handed as a method of recovery. In doing so, she rediscovered that art isn’t just about the aesthetic of the finished product; it is much more so about the emotional and mental benefits of creating. This realization, combined with her desire to help others, led to the conception of The Arts Advocacy.
Public schools are often underfunded, and art education is the first sacrifice when budgets are cut. Despite all the research proving the benefits of the arts, administrators aren’t convinced that art programs are worth saving. However, art has been shown to increase student attendance1, which boosts Federal school funding based on attendance. These programs also increase focus and curricular attention spans, along with promoting academic, social, and emotional development.2
A cycle of failure begins in the educational system when art programs are cut; student attendance is affected, which affects funding, which affects program cuts, which affects student attention and performance, creating a vicious cycle that hurts students first and foremost. At The Arts Advocacy, we are working to end this cycle by easing the financial burden of schools as they deliver quality art education to students. We accomplish this by providing art supplies to various organizations for art education and therapy programs, as well as to students experiencing financial hardship. Based in Boynton Beach, Florida, our vision is to be a global resource for all underdeveloped art-based initiatives as well as being able to provide grants and scholarships to teachers and students endeavoring in the arts.
The benefits and healing powers of art do not simply stop at the classroom. Studies suggest that art therapy can be very valuable in treating issues such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and even some phobias.3 It is a great way to express your emotions without words, process complex feelings, and find relief. Because of this, The Arts Advocacy is also committed to ensure rehabilitation centers, therapy programs, and other organizations that assist our at-risk population have the necessary supplies to facilitate art activities.
More than just providing art supplies, we want to advocate and bring awareness to the vast benefits of ALL arts: visual, musical, theatrical, and literary. Our ultimate goal is to promote the betterment of whole communities by helping them embrace the arts as a critical component of each person’s success.