Founder Joshua D. Mongeau, a 14 year Chinatown resident, noticed there was a complete lack of art programs for the children and adults on a fixed income. There is a staggering lack of free art programs in Downtown Manhattan with art supplies and education.

Iki Mara exists to provide further art education for children and adults unable to afford art supplies and private instruction.

Josh started teaching basic sketching and illustration to local children in his neighborhood over the past 6 years. He also started working with local adults in the area who quickly learned their own desire to be creative meant a greater sense of calm and happiness in their daily lives.

Realizing the positive impact of his efforts, Josh determined this could be a broader initiative to help his community. To make matters more urgent, the need is greater as the community continues to recover from the devastating physical and mental toll of Covid pandemic.

A recent study by the Brookings Institute shows substantial increase in arts educational experiences has remarkable impacts on students’ academic, social, and emotional outcomes.

Relative to students assigned to the control group, treatment school students experienced a 3.6 percentage point reduction in disciplinary infractions, an improvement of 13 percent of a standard deviation in standardized writing scores, and an increase of 8 percent positive deviation in their compassion for others.

iki Mara is based in Chinatown and providing courses to all residents of Downtown Manhattan. Drawing classes (figure drawing and still life courses) as well as Oil and Acrylic painting courses for adults and children. Filling a crucial affordability gap due to high costs of art supplies and offering a reliable and safe local location — for all attendees at no cost to themselves.

Affordable access to drawing, painting and mixed media art supplies and proper art education.

iki Mara looks to fill the current gap in arts education by providing a comprehensive arts curriculum to the broader 100,000 residents in L.E.S. / Chinatown neighborhood — by providing youth after school programs as well as adult geared courses.

This in turn, will foster a growing number of participants immediately creating a healthy environment which creative pursuits can be attained at beginner to advanced levels. Funding will go towards leasing a permanent 1,200 square foot space in the local community.

Currently, the arts education opportunities in the local community are limited. The options are narrow and expensive, which in turn clearly expose a gap between the needs of the community and what is being offered.

Giving back to the community benefits both donors and recipients. Tax deductible donations to sponsor the expansion of the arts education in Chinatown/LES, benefits both individual donors and community members.

Please email us with questions at [email protected].

We accept donations via Paypal. Venmo access is coming soon.

Joshua D. Mongeau
Founder / Artist / Educator
www.JoshMongeau.com
[email protected]
+1 (508) 274-3387

Rama Iyer
Founder / Strategy / Operations
[email protected]
+1 (732) 221-5854

Iva de Martel
Board Member
[email protected]
+1 (929) 254-8256