Mission

Firebird Community Arts works to empower and connect people through the healing practice of glassblowing and ceramics.

What We Do

Firebird's mission is to empower and connect people through the healing practice of glassblowing and ceramics. Our Trauma-Informed programs work with populations that are at highest risk for further violence, including violently injured youth and veteran populations. For these programs, we partner with organizations that provide clinical mental health and social service supports.

Firebird's Healing Justice Programs include both in-school and after-school CPS residency programs, free public workshops, and a program at a cancer support center and use art as a tool for both promoting well-being and building hope.

Firebird's flagship program is Project FIRE, an artist development employment program that offers healing through glassblowing, mentoring and trauma psychoeducation for youth injured by gun violence in Chicago. The program is in partnership with Healing Hurt People-Chicago, a hospital based violence intervention program that provides case management support to participants and leads the psychoeducation sessions at the end of every glassblowing class.